HARDY FERNS AND MOSSES. 
317 
almost any soil. To get the best results, however, it should 
be supplied with a compost of two parts leaf-mould or peat, 
one part loam, and one part silver sand ; it also likes plenty of 
root moisture and a moderate amount of shade. Under such 
conditions its fronds will average i8in. by 3m. It is easily 
propagated by spores, by division, and by cuttings of the leaf- 
stalks. Grubs of weevils are very fond of this fern, and do 
much damage by boring into the stalks of the fronds, pro- 
ducing withering and death. Varieties are legion, and would 
fill a large fernery by themselves ; the following are amongst 
the best and most distinct : Crispum, long fronds with prettily 
frilled or waved margins, barren ; c. fimbriatum cropper, a 
handsome form heavily frilled and fimbriated and sometimes 
crested ; cristatum, crested ; cristulatum, dwarf crested ; 
cornutum, fronds ending in a little, horn-like projec- 
tion ; glomeratum, heavily crested ; Kelwayi, dwarf, compact 
and crested ; Keratoides, variously divided and crested ; lace- 
ratum, broad lacerated fronds ; marginatum, narrow fronds, 
with a marginal raised line on the under sides ; ramo-cristatum, 
fronds branched and crested ; r.-c. majus, a heavily-crested 
form ; ramo-marginatum, branched fronds, serrated and 
crested ; sagittato-cristatum, ears at base, frond developed, 
apex crested. 
Selaginella.. — A family of plants allied to ferns; they 
are either of creeping habit, rosette-like or tall and branching. 
The spores are of two kinds, and borne in catkins at the tips 
of the growths. Several are hardy in sheltered positions, 
though they are commonly grown in greenhouses. A mixture 
of peat-loam, leaf-mould and sand in equal parts will suit them. 
S. helvetica is the hardiest, and comes from the Alps. It can 
be used as an edging or for carpeting bare spaces. S. den- 
ticulata (helvetica vera) is another dwarf, creeping, fairly hardy 
kind ; in exposed places the plant turns a red colour. S. 
Kraussiana is a common greenhouse kind, green and stronger 
growing than the above ; there is a golden-leaved variety — 
aurea — and a white-tipped form — variegata. These are 
worth using for summer carpeting and edging effect, even if 
they fail to last the winter. S. involvens is a rosette kind, the 
growths all spreading out from a centre, that can be tried out 
of doors. 
Woodsia. — A genus of dwarf ferns, 2 or 6in. high, native 
of British and N. American mountains. They do not need 
much soil, thriving best on or between damp rocks where 
they will have perfect drainage. Turfy peat, fibry loam, and 
plenty of finely-broken sandstone and charcoal and silver sand 
form a good compost. All are deciduous and have once to 
