384 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



which the rhizomes of creeping-rooted Ferns will 

 luxuriate. 



Any Moss which, in the woods or other spots 

 where Mosses abound, may strike the finder's fancy, 

 should be lifted with a good portion of the soil, and 

 planted in a thoroughly drained medium-sized pot. 

 The base of the tuft should, in case it has not been 

 removed with soil sufficient, be placed in immediate 

 contact with such material as most nearly resembles 

 that on which it naturally grows. This is somewhat 

 important, as although some grow in almost any 

 soil, others affect more or less a particular one. The 

 smaller- growing rock species simply require to be 

 taken with the stone on which they grow ; the larger 

 ones should be fastened on similar stones, with wire 

 or some other contrivance, until they have attached 

 themselves. The moisture-loving ones, such as 

 some of the Bartramias, the water-loving Hypnums, 

 and Dicranums, should have the pots kept in saucers 

 filled constantly with water, by which means their 

 roots are regularly supplied with water. All are 

 better with pretty frequent syringings of rain- 

 water. Most of the kinds are in a state of rest, more 

 or less definite, during the summer months ; these 

 can then be placed on ashes behind a north wall, 

 and left to themselves without further care than an 

 occasional watering. In order, however, to prevent 

 birds from rooting up the tufts in search of insects 

 and worms, and thus interfering materially with the 

 welfare and appearance of the plants, it is well to 

 have netting fixed over them in such a way as to 

 prevent the incursions of such unwelcome visitors. 



Kypnum tamariscinum and its allies make beautiful 

 objects if kept in a moist, shaded spot, and not a few 

 Hypnums thrive on turves of fibrous peat. The 

 Hookerias, too, grow freely either on moist stones or 

 in prepared pots of small pieces of almost any porous 

 stone. In a well-shaded case in which Ferns succeed, 

 pieces of wood or Moss- covered branches may be 

 placed, and the wonderful variations in colour, in 

 the length, direction, and form of their stems and 

 branches — not to speak of the differences in the cap- 

 sules — cannot fail to appeal to the admiration of all 



who love plant-life. Kypnum splendent, well estab- 

 lished, makes a specimen which for grace and delicacy 

 can hardly be surpassed. Climacium dendroides, with 

 its erect stems and feathery dark green foliage, is 

 quite as charming as any miniature Fern. It re- 

 quires a well-drained fibrous peat, and abundance of 

 moisture. 



The following is a list of a few of the species most 

 readily grown, and, at the same time, some of the 

 more striking and distinct of our British Mosses, 

 not mentioned in the preceding paragraphs. A few 

 words as to the aspect of the plant and the habitats it 

 affects are also given : — 



Anaectangiurn ciliatum — Dicranum pellucidum is 

 frequent on rocks, &c, in found by rivers and 

 hilly districts. Couspi- streams. It has yellow- 

 cuous by the projecting ish-gr c en, almost trans- 

 hairs of the leaf, which parent leaves, 

 jfive a hoary appearance D. squarrosum grows in 

 to the tufts. wettish spots on moun- 



AnJraea rupestris— a some- tains, 

 what sombre-hued, brown- Eucalypta vulgaris is the 

 ish tufted Moss, so com- Extinguisher Moss, so 

 mon on rocks in some called on account of the 

 mountainous districts as resemblance of its pale 

 to give quite a character green cap or calyptra to 

 to the scenery. an extinguisher. Not uu- 



Anomodon curtipendulum — common on banks and 

 a fine Moss, with dark wall-tops, 

 green foliage ; rocks and Funaria hygrometrica is 

 trees chiefly in mountain- found on walls and rocks, 

 ous districts. and on the ground, espe- 



A. viticulosum— a mnch less [ cially where wood has 

 vigorous grower than the i been burnt. It grows in 

 last, with soft pale green | pale green patches, which 

 tufts. contrast markedly with. 



Bartramia pomiformis — : the orange or reddish 

 the common Apple Moss colour of the ripe cap- 

 of rocks aud dry banks. | sules. 



It has pale green foliage, | Grimmia apocarpa is com- 

 aud pretty rounded cap- mon on rocks, wall-tops, 

 sules, which suggested its j and trees. It makes good- 

 English name. sized dark brownish-green 



B. ithyphylla, an allied spe- tufts. 



cies from more hilly dis- G. pulvinata forms small, 

 tricts, has deeper green dense, hoary cushions, 

 leaves. ' Hookeria laetevirens has 



Bryum argenteum grows on j darker green foliage than 

 wall-sides, roofs, indeed the commoner H. lucens. 

 almost everywhere. It ! Both grow on shaded, 

 has deep silvery - srreen moist banks, &c, and 

 tufts. A number of other j have beautiful pellucid 

 Bryums are wonderfully | leaves, 

 pretty when well grown. Trichostomum heterosti- 



D. heteromollum is common chum, the Hoary Fringe 

 in lowland woods, and its Moss, forms beautiful 

 dense velvety carpet of 1 hoary patches on stony 

 dark green is very attrac- ground chiefly in moun- 

 tive. I tainous districts. 



End op Vol, IV. 



