90 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
Maidenhair Ferns, on account of the black, shining 
stalks common to most of them. Apart, too, from 
their utility in bouquet-making, &c., there are many 
species grown for the varied tints that their fronds 
assume; while as basket-plants there are few more 
beautiful subjects than A, caudatum and A. lunu- 
latum. There are dwarf forms of our native Maiden- 
hair that may be utilised as edgings in the Fernery, 
as there are giant forms alluded to elsewhere, and 
deservedly popular species like A, peruvianum and 
A. trapeziforme. The latter and several other tall- 
growing species and varieties — A, concinnum latum, 
A, Williamsii, &c. — are usually supported with 
stakes disposed round the pot-rims, and ties. 
With the exception of A. pedatum, none of the 
Adiantums are truly hardy. They are, as a rule, 
easy to manage. Plenty of light should be 
allowed to all, but the full rays of the sun should be 
carefully avoided. A mixture of fibrous peat, or of 
partly-decayed leaf mould, loam, and silver sand 
in about equal parts, will suit most of them. None 
of them like to be potted very hard, and watering or 
syringing overhead, unless it be in a very airy, light, 
and warm house, is injurious to most of them. 
All Adiantums having running rhizomes may, 
with advantage, be divided from February to April. 
Species with tufted crowns may also be increased by 
division, but in their case, and especially when 
quantities of plants are required, it is safer and more 
advantageous to depend on spores, which germinate 
freely, and which usually produce stronger and more 
shapely plants than those resulting from divisions. 
Spores may be sown at all times of the year, although 
the most favourable season is from January^ to 
April, as in that case the seedlings have ample time 
to produce crowns sufficiently strong to withstand the 
effects of the following winter. 
Before proceeding to an enumeration of species 
and varieties, we must refer to a few individuals that 
stand out prominently for certain purposes, or that 
require special treatment. For instance, it is gene- 
rally acknowledged that the deciduous A. lucidum is 
