554 
CULTURE OF HARDY FERNS. 
fern cultivator, informs me, however, that he 
removes it from the waste land both for rock- 
work and potting, and finds it move well at 
any season of the year ; being moreover a 
great pest in his cucumber beds, when the 
underground stems are among the soil used, 
as it comes up over the bed, grows vigorously, 
and is with difficulty destroyed. I have potted 
portions of these stems which have lain exposed 
for some time, and have found them to grow 
freely. It will grow freely in any temperature. 
Though it grows in exposed situations, it is 
very much finer in damp shady places. To 
form groups of this plant in parks, the follow- 
ing plan, recommended by Mr. Drewett, should 
be adopted : — ' Make choice of some spots of 
ground which have a partial shade from large 
trees in summer, say in half acres, and have 
them trenched, adding, if the land is strong, 
a good layer of peat, or bog earth ; have the 
ground in readiness for planting in March or 
April, take up the dormant stems in large 
square masses from the spots where they have 
been observed to grow, and plant them im- 
mediately at about a yard apart ; enclose the 
patches with park hurdles to prevent cattle 
from spoiling them before they get esta- 
blished.' Polystiehum aculeatum, which is 
perfectly evergreen, is a very suitable com- 
panion." 
Adiantum Oapilliis-veneris. 
This Handbook of British Ferns, from its 
convenient size and abundant information, will 
be a suitable and pleasant companion for the 
field botanist, as well as the home culturist 
and the student. 
To resume. The species of ferns indige- 
nous to the United Kingdom are distributed 
throughout the following eighteen genera : — 
I. — Polypodium : 1. P. vnlgare, and three 
varieties ; evergreen in sheltered places"; 
suitable for rockwork. 2. P. Phegopteris ; 
rockwork. 3. P. Dryopteris ; rockwork. 4. 
P. calcareum ; rockwork. 
II. — Allosoriis : 1. A. crispus, and two 
varieties ; ornamental ; rockwork. 
lU.—Woodsia : 1 . W. ilvensis. 2. W. 
alpina. Both rare, curious ; suitable for pot 
culture. 
IV. — Lastrea : 1. L. Thelypteris ; damp 
peaty border. 2. L. Oreopteris ; shady bor- 
der. 3. L. cristata ; dam.p peaty border. 4. 
L. Filix-mas, and two varieties ; shady border. 
5. L. rigida ; shady border. 6. L. spinulosa; 
peaty border. 7. L. dilatata ; peaty border. 
8. L. Foenisecii ; peaty border. 
V. — Polystiehum : 1 . P. Lonchitis ; ever- 
green ; pots. 2. P. aculeatum and variety ; 
evergreen ; shady border. 3. P. angulare 
and two varieties ; evergreen ; shady border. 
VI. — Cystopteris : 1. C. fragilis and three 
varieties ; rockwork or pots. 2. C. alpina ; 
rockwork or pots. 3. C. montana ; rockwork 
or pots. 
VII. — Athyrium : 1. A. Filix-femina, and 
several varieties ; damp shady border. 
VIII. — Asplenium : 1. A. fontanum ; ever- 
green ; pots or rockwork, 2. A, lanceolatum; 
evergreen ; pots or sheltered rockwork. 3. 
A. Adiantum-nigrum ; evergreen ; rockwork ; 
4. A. marinum ; evergreen ; pots, in-doors. 
5. A. Trichomanes ; evergreen ; rockwork 
or pots. 6. A. viride ; evergreen ; rockwork 
or pots. 7. A Ruta-muraria ; evergreen ; 
pots or rockwork. 8. A. germanicum ; everr 
green ; pots or rockwork. 9. A. septentrio- 
nale ; evergreen ; pots or rockwork. 
IX. — Ceterach : 1, C. officinarum ; ever- 
green ; pots or rockwork. 
X, — Scolopendrium : 1. S, vulgare ; ever- 
green ; shady borders, rockwork, or pots. 
XL — Adiantum : 1. A. Capillus- veneris ; 
evergreen ; pots, in-doors, or under hand- 
glasses. 
XII, — Blechnum : 1, B. Spicant ; rock- 
work, or damp peat borders. 
XIII. — Pteris : 1. P. aquilina, shady bor- 
der. 
XIV. — Trichomanes: 1. T. radicans, and 
one variety ; evergreen ; pots in a warm close 
atmosphere. 
XV. — Hymenophyllum : 1. IT. tunbridg- 
ense ; and 2. H. unilaterale ; fronds persis- 
tent ; pots, in a close damp sheltered atmo- 
sphere. 
XVI. — Osm^mda : 1. O. regalis; damp 
peat border. 
XVII. — Botrychium : 1. B. Lunaria ; 
shady peat border. 
XVIII. — Ophioglossum : 1.0 vulgatum ; 
shady border. 
