COMMONPLACE NOTES. 



503 



this is a valuable variety. We have nowhere seen or heard of this variety 

 except in the Society's Gardens. ' Lady Hastings ' is another new grape, 

 a sport from ' Muscat Hamburgh,' with all the delicious flavour of its 

 parent, but with a stronger constitution, not so fastidious as to soil and 

 treatment as 1 Muscat Hamburgh,' and bearing larger bunches and berries. 



The Lasting Qualities of Dahlias. 



A FelJow writing from Wiesbaden draws attention to a point of 

 considerable interest in connection with dahlias. He found that some 

 varieties would, on being cut for decorative purposes, last much longer 

 than others kept under the same conditions. Herr Emil Becker, also of 

 Wiesbaden, states that he finds those varieties with narrower foliage possess 

 more lasting qualities than those with broad flat leaves. He considers 

 that plants which have been heavily manured with stable manure are less 

 lasting than those which have been grown without its aid, and finds that 

 if the foliage be removed immediately after the flowers have been cut they 

 last much better in water than they do in the ordinary way. The 

 matter is one well worthy the attention of growers and raisers of these 

 brilliant, decorative flowers, and observations upon the subject would be 

 welcomed. 



Hardy Winter Ferns. 



A Fellow writes asking, " Are there any nice evergreen ferns I could 

 plant along a woodland walk for winter ? " There are a few, but only 

 a few, which can be recommended for such a purpose : — 



(1) Polystichum aculeatum. — A most beautiful native British plant, 



with broad leaves like huge ostrich feathers. 



(2) Polystichum armatum. — A North American plant, perfectly hardy 



here, with leaves less divided than the preceding, less feathery, 

 more like an ostrich plume as conventionally drawn in heraldry, 

 but of equal beauty ; indeed, in winter, with the edges of the 

 fronds outlined with hoar frost, it is even more lovely than 

 P. aculeatum. 



(3) Polypodium vulgare. — Another of our native ferns, very common, 



but none the less delightful to the eye when clustering with 

 a mass of fronds all round the bole of a big tree, or at the base 

 of a big bit of rock. It will grow where very many other things 

 refuse — e.g. under a thick spruce. But being dwarf it should 

 always be planted where it can be well seen, as close round 

 a tree, where its rather pale green' leaves make a glorious 

 contrast with the dark brown bark of the tree's trunk. 



(4) Scolopendrium vulgare. — The common Hart's-tongue fern, once 



very common, but growing less so year by year. It asks for 

 a heavier damper soil than the others ; it will, however, live 

 wherever (1) and (2) will grow, though its favourite haunt is the 

 side of a damp ditch in the claylands. Its broad strap-like 

 leaves of glossy green are very cheering in the winter woodland. 

 It should, however, be planted in clumps of two or three plants, as, 

 unless in a position and a soil that suits it well, it does not make 

 big plants such as are wanted along a woodland walk. 



