THE COOLER FILMY FERNS. 



335 



of the finest plants and collections of 

 Filmy Ferns belong to private growers 

 in towns and cities where Wardian cases 

 and other contrivances are often used 

 with wonderful success. In growing 

 these plants it is impossible to maintain 

 a fixed temperature, but one as even as 

 can be is a matter of importance, for in 

 their native forests and sheltered ravines 

 the variation of temperature is very slight, 

 and experience proves that a quiet, shady 

 atmosphere and uniform temperature 

 produce the best results. These green- 

 house kinds thrive at from 40 to 60 de- 

 grees, and though during the summer 

 it is not always possible to keep the 

 temperature so low, they will not suffer 

 forawhile. As the charm of these plants 

 is the freshness of their delicate fronds, 

 which it is impossible to cleanse when 

 once soiled, only the purest water should 

 be used in damping them and hence 

 the gain in keeping their surroundings 

 moist, for when watered by their own 

 condensed moisture, all impurities are 

 left behind. The following are all worth 

 growing, each possessing charms of its 

 own, although it is not likely that all 

 will find place in one collection: — 



Hymenophyl I urn ceruginosum . — 

 True Filmy Q n account f tne long whit- 



ish or tawny hairs with which 

 the fronds are clothed, this kind must not 

 be watered overhead. Its fine creeping roots 

 throw masses of tiny oblong fronds, thrice cut 

 into close dense segments, covered with long 

 silvery hairs becoming yellow with age. A 

 handsome plant from New Zealand, thriving 

 upon Fern-stems or bare moist sandstone. 



H. bivalve. — In cultivation this is rare and 

 not common in its own country; the fronds 

 are erect and broadly triangular, three times 

 divided, the segments being somewhat spiny ; 

 colour deep green. New Zealand. 



H. caudiculatum. — A fine bold -growing 

 species covering moss-grown tree-trunks. It 

 is one of the finest of cultivated Hymenophyl- 

 lums, with translucid fronds 10 to 40 inches 

 long, their stems broadly winged and the leafy 

 portion spreading and thrice divided, the tails 

 of the segments being drawn out into long 

 tail-like points ; colour, bright shining green. 

 Abundant on the Organ Mountains,and thence 

 through Peru, into Chili. 



H. chiloense. — One of the gems of the 

 group, growing in dense tufts completely co- 

 vering rocks and tree-trunks in its own coun- 

 try. Its tiny triangular fronds, seldom more 

 than 2 inches long, are once or twice divided, 

 clothed with simple rigid hairs, and pale green 

 in colour, with conspicuous dark veining over 

 the entire surface. Chili, and Isle of Chiloe. 



TUNBRIDGE FILMY FERN (HYMENOPHYLLUM 

 TUNBRIDGENSE). 



H. crispatum. — A variable plant, specimens 

 from northern India differing widely from the 

 form found in New Zealand. The roots are 

 creeping, with fronds of 4 to 6 inches long 

 and much waved and crisped, thrice divided 

 into blunt segments, and deep green in colour. 

 It covers a block of sandstone or a Fern-stem 

 with a dense drapery, beautifully curled, and 

 distinct in appearance. 



H. cruentum. — A very distinct plant with 

 small entire fronds of only a few inches, trans- 

 parent as sea-weed, broadly triangular, and 

 prominently veined ; when young they are 

 green, changing with age to a rosy-brown 

 or dull red, and lasting for a long time. A 

 very rare plant from Chiloe and Valdivia, 

 where its creeping stems grow over moist 

 tree-trunks. 



