THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



25 



AND GREENHOUSE. 



FERNS FOR THE HOUSE, 



Kinds of Ferns. —Deciduous Ferns— that is, 

 those like our common wild Maiden Hair, that 

 grow in the summer time, hut lose all their 

 fronds on the approach of winter— are not of 

 much account as window plants, because it is 

 in the winter, and not in the summer time, 

 we want our windows filled with plants. But 

 if these deciduous Ferns are grown in pots, 

 ripened off early in the fall, rested for a month 

 or two by keeping them inactive and cool, 

 when brought into warm quarters in winter or 

 spring they grow afresh quite vigorously. 

 There is a class of Ferns, like Polypodium fal- 

 catum and Californicum, that dies down in 

 summer and grows in winter, and these make 

 good plants for the winter. But best of all are 

 the evergreen Ferns, and especially so those 

 like Aspidium falcatum, whose leaves are thick, 

 leathery and shining. Many Ferns, as Dick- 

 sonia antartica, that are well suited for window 

 culture in a young state, when old become too 

 large to be accommodated. 

 But as Ferns are slow grow- 

 ers, it is how to get them to 

 grow bigger, and not how to 

 prevent them, that concerns 

 us most. The following are 

 good window Ferns: young 

 plants of such tree Ferns as 

 Dicksonia, Cyathea and Cibo- 

 tium, Blechnum Braziliense, 

 the commoner kinds of- gold 

 and silver Ferns (Gymnogram- 

 ma); Pteris argyrea, eretica 

 albo-lineata, serrulata and its 

 varieties, and tremula ; Adian- 

 tum hispidulum, cuneatum, 

 venustum (a winter grower), 

 decorum ; Pellaea hastata ; 

 Woodwardia radicans and Ori- 

 entalis ; Scolopendrhrm vul- 

 gare, and any of its varieties ; 

 Onychium Japonieum; Doorlia 

 media; Lygodium Japonieum 

 (climbing); Nephrodium molle; Hypolepis dis- 

 tans and tenuifolia (good for baskets) ; Lastrea 

 patens ; Nephrolepis exaltata and tuberosa, Ne- 

 phrodium molle and venustum. and Athyrium 

 Goringianum pictum. I am compelled, though 

 reluctantly, to use botanical instead of Eng- 

 lish names for these Ferns, because there are 

 no accepted English names for the most of 

 them ; therefore, were I to manufacture names 

 for them it would only lead to confusion. As 

 they are well-known Ferns, you will find them 

 described in your nurserymen's and florists' cat- 

 alogues. 



Kerns for Fern-cases. — Fern-cases are usu- 

 ally boxes or pans without any means of let- 

 ting off surplus water, therefore much care is 

 necessary in attending them. The under soil 

 should be rough and porous, that on the surface 

 fine. When the Ferns are planted, and a little 

 moss is inserted all over the surface to make a 

 green carpet, give water enough to moisten the 

 soil all through, but no more; then never again 

 give any more water without satisfying your- 

 self that the soil is dry enough to need it, 

 But if you have a water-pot with a very fine 

 • rose, a syringe, or one of those rubber sprink- 

 lers the florists have to dew flowers with, you 

 moisten your Ferns overhead, sparingly though, 



every day with benefit to them. Ventilate 

 your cases a little every day. Use the com- 

 monest kinds of Ferns, as Adiantum cunea- 

 tum. hispidulum, assimile, tenerum, venus- 

 tum; Pteris serrulata, longifolia, tremula, 

 argyrea, flabellata; Polypodium falcatum, 

 Doodia media, Onychium Japonieum; almost 

 any evergreen; Asplenium and Aspidium, Pel- 

 laea hastata, Woodwardia radicans; in fact, 

 most any little soft evergreen Fern that is not 

 powdery, hairy or crisp. Some of these I have 

 mentioned grow quite large, but common folks 

 have common sense enough not to set big plants 

 in little cases; use small plants — there is not 

 much fear of their growing too big in one sea- 

 son. We are often told to plant "filmy" 

 Ferns in our Fern-cases. These filmy Ferns 

 are a very peculiar class, having fronds of a 

 pellucid texture ; they are found in very moist 

 places, about dripping rocks, and the like, and 

 in tropical .countries climbing up or growing on 

 the stems of trees in dense forests. The com- 

 monest one in culture is the Killarney Fern, 

 from Ireland. They need an equable, close, 

 moist temperature, lots of water at the root, 

 and to be dewed overhead once or twice a day. 

 We have a fine lot of these Ferns in vigorous 



But one of the prettiest of linings for such a 

 basket is a sod of common Polypody Ferns, the 

 Fern-side outside. Go into a rocky wood any- 

 where, and you can peel this Polypody off the 

 rocks, in sods as big as your hat or a blanket, 

 if you wish. The Polypody is evergreen, at 

 any rate, and, when introduced to warm quar- 

 ters in winter, picks up and grows away as if it 

 were summer-time in the woods. Staghorn 

 Ferns may be studded over a suspended bas- 

 ket, — Polypodium aureum, a handsome species 

 from Florida and common in greenhouses, de- 

 lights to get into a basket. And if you want, 

 something to run on a piece of block or rough 

 bark, there is nothing better than the little 

 Polypodium vaccinifolium and P. Billardieri; 

 but mind you, you must start them in soil first, 

 and when they begin to grow out, let them take 

 to the blocks. 



Summer Treatment of Ferns. — Few people 

 care to soil their houses by keeping plants in 

 their windows in the summer, and it is better 

 for the plants that they should be out of the 

 house. A cold frame in some sheltered, shady 

 part of the garden is a good place for them ; the 

 pots should be plunged in coal-ashes, a sash 

 shaded with whitewash, oil or other material 

 placed over them and kept 

 lted up, or, in favorable, 

 weather, removed. Or, fail- 

 ing a frame, the pots may be 

 plunged out-of-doors on the 

 shady side of the house, or 

 anywhere else away from 

 strong sunshine and drip, and 

 where they can have sufficient 

 water. Wm. Falconer. 



FERN CASE 



health, still I cannot recommend them to ama- 

 teurs, — they are very expensive and need con- 

 stant, care. 



Ferns for Baskets. — If your basket is an or- 

 dinary rustic wooden or earthenware one, with 

 a bowl within it to hold the soil in, and you 

 want Ferns whose fronds will grow out to droop 

 over its sides, then you had better have Adian- 

 tum cuneatum, Pteris serrulata or its crested 

 varieties, Asplenium reclinatum and longissi- 

 mum, any Nephrolepises, and the Chinese blue 

 moss (Selaginella uncinata). There are baskets 

 made like square log cabins, with openings be- 

 tween the logs. These, are easily filled, for 

 you can pack all manner of little Ferns be- 

 tween the "logs," and plant the bigger ones 

 in the top. The common little Spleenwort 

 (Asplenium ebeneum), found so abundantly in 

 our open, rocky woods, is first-rate for lining 

 the sides of cabin-baskets. There are also wire- 

 baskets ; an ox-muzzle is good enough. If the 

 meshes are too big, you can run a piece of fine 

 wire through them. You may line these bas- 

 kets with moss from the woods, keeping the 

 green side out; fill within with soil and plant 

 your Ferns; you can also stick little Ferns all 

 around the sides and bottom. The small 

 Spleenwort just mentioned is good for this, too. 



WINDOW GARDENING IN FEB- 

 RUARY, 



As the days lengthen vege- 

 m becomes more active and 

 flowers more numerous. All 

 mlbous plants such as Hya- 

 cinths. Tulips and Narcissus 

 should be. brought as near to 

 the light as possible, thorough 

 soakings of water given when 

 required, and those that need 

 support, should lie neatly 

 staked. Geraniums, Fuchsias, Petunias, and 

 early flowering plants, should have healthy root 

 action, and those requiring re-potting should lie 

 carefully turned out of their present pots and 

 placed in pots two sizes larger. 



Cuttings of most, plants will root, easily in 

 sand or very fine charcoal if placed in a warm 

 position and kept, thoroughly moist, 



Some seeds of plants that are desired, for 

 early summer bedding, such as Cineraria mari- 

 tima, Centaureas of sorts. Lobelias, and the 

 Golden Feather Pyrethrum do always best 

 when sown early. Use well drained pots and 

 sandy soil, covering slightly and pressing down 

 gently before watering, set in a shady place un- 

 til the seedlings appear, after which bring near 

 to the light and transplant as soon as it is pos- 

 sible to handle them. 



February is Catalogue month, and it is well 

 to select what is required as early as possible, 

 while the. stock of most things is complete, and 

 more time can be given to the execution of or- 

 ders. A great deal of annoyance is caused by 

 such delay. Even if the plants are not wanted 

 immediately, disappointment may often be pre- 

 vented by ordering early. Florists or dealers ac- 

 cept-orders at any time for plants to be deliv- 

 ered at a later da v or season. John Thorpe. 



