524 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



ten degrees of frost without injury; in a cold greenhouse, under 

 a glass shade, or in a fern-case they will grow luxuriantly. 



The true British Maidenhair (Adiantum capillus -veneris) 

 does not appear to be hardy enough to bear frost ; it rarely, if 

 ever, gives satisfaction when planted outside. It will grow in a 

 cold greenhouse, but better still in a warm house, its varieties, 

 daphnites, grande, magnificum, comubiense, all requiring the 

 same condition. Asplenium marinum (the Sea Spleenwort) and 

 A. lanceolatum should receive the same treatment. 



Allosorus crispus (the Mountain Parsley Fern) is the opposite 

 in its requirements. This species cannot bear confinement ; in 

 its native habitats, where it grows in immense patches on the 

 mountain sides, it is exposed to the full sun and every breeze 

 that blows, to say nothing of the storms which rage in those 

 localities ; the nearer its condition under cultivation approaches 

 ihis the better it appears to like it. 



The Alternate-leafed Spleenwort (Asplenium germanicum), 

 the Forked Spleenwort (Asplenium septentrionale), the Wall Rue 

 (A . ruta-muraria) are all dwarf in habit and very interesting, but 

 they cannot be said to possess much beauty. Asplenium Adian- 

 tum nigrum (the black Maidenhair Spleenwort) grows rather 

 larger, and has dark green glossy fronds. It is a pretty Fern, 

 but the variety acutum, being thinner in texture, is more grace- 

 ful in appearance. Asplenium trichomanes is also a pretty little 

 Fern, growing in dense clumps and found in great abundance on 

 old walls and bridges, in some instances completely clothing them 

 with foliage. In its company the Wall Rue is found in profusion, 

 causing one to wonder how they manage to live at all apparently 

 without moisture or food. There is a nicely crested \ ariety of Asp. 

 trichomanes named cristatum, but not so easily grown ; another 

 variety, A. t. incisum, is a beautiful Fern, having its pinnules 

 deeply cut. A. viride is similiar in appearance to A. trichomanes, 

 but has a green instead of a black stem. These and Ceterach 

 officinarum (the Scaly Spleenwort) are all dwarf and interesting ; 

 the latter has the under- surface of its fronds covered with 

 scales, at first light-coloured, afterwards becoming brown, from 

 which it is known among unbotanical observers as " the Rusty 

 Back." 



Cystovteris fragilis (the Bladder Fern) is a light, delicate- 

 looking species, very pretty, but dwarf. C. regia is more 



