22 
THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
trout make when they leap for flies, and the soft nourishing vapour 
that rises day and niglit amongst their shining fronds. Yes, it is 
upon slopes mostly that ferns love to grow ; in places where water 
rarely lodges, but where moisture is abundant, and there is some 
shade against the noonday summer sun. Note all you see of the 
whereabouts and ways of your favourites, and you will find that 
there is a better book on fern-growing than the one you are now 
reading — it is the Book of Nature. 
If you cannot go collecting you may be able to dip into the 
tempting basket of the itinerant fern vendor, who is sure to be able 
to supply you with the Male fern, or Lastrea filix mas, which is 
the hardiest of all, and will grow almost anywhere ; the Hard fern, 
or Blechnvm spicant ; the harts-tongue fern, or Scolopendrium vul- 
gare ; and the Lady fern, or Athynum filix faemina, of which there 
is one beautiful variety ( Acrocladon ), which is sometimes referred 
to as the “ Queen of the Lady Ferns,” a title of which it is well 
worthy, indeed its exquisite foliage is unequalled in the whole range 
of British botany. You must not, however, expect to readily obtain 
this variety from the itinerant vendor, as at the present time it i3 
at once the rarest and most remarkable of the British species. With 
these four you can make a good beginning. It is usual to construct 
the outdoor fernery of some sort of “ rockwork,” and for two good 
reasons : first, because the forms and hues of ferns are more 
effectually displayed when their bright green tufts rise out of grey 
stones or dark burrs from the brick kiln ; second, because they 
thrive better, when planted in gardens, if their roots are protected 
from excessive evaporation by the covering of the soil with stones 
and vitreous masses. Many a tiny fernery do we see in our travels 
placed at the entrance to country villas and cottages, where we 
should never think of placing them, yet they look quiet and 
pleasing, and suggest to all passers-by that those who planted them 
did their best to vindicate the quiet beauties of God’s great harvest, 
knowing that for more demonstrative forms of vegetable splendour 
vindication was unnecessary. When little ferneries like these are 
constructed, only the commonest and most robust-growing ferns 
should be planted in them. Generally speaking, the common soil 
of the place will do, but if a quantity of leaf-mould or cocoa-nut 
fibre can be mixed with it the better. If there is any doubt about 
the soil of the place being suitable, get some sandy or peaty earth 
from a common where ferns and heather are found in plenty, and 
have enough to raise the position above the general level, then 
cover it with stones or burrs, and plant the ferns between. There 
are sorts well adapted for this simplest form of fernery, namely, the 
four just named, as likely to be found in the fern-dealer’s basket, and 
the following: — the Bracken or Brake, Pteris aquilina ; the Broad 
Prickly Buckler fern, Lastrea dilatata ; the royal Osmund, Osmunda 
regalis ; the common Polypody , Polypodium vulgar e ; the Common 
Shield fern, Polystichuvi aculeatum. Many more may be added if 
the soil is a mellow, friable yellow loam, with plenty of sand in it, 
but it will be well to get a little used to ferns before launching out 
into grand speculations. When you have had some practice in this 
