NATURE NOTES. 
156 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
The Glastonbury Thorn [Crataegus Oxyacanthus, var. pracox) (Rev. E. 
Downman). — There is a fine specimen of this thorn in the Victoria Park, Bath. I 
have seen it in flower at Christmas, I think it was in 1883. I have not noticed 
the behaviour of the tree at Christmas since the date named. I paid a visit to 
it on June the 19th (after reading the note in Nature Notes for June), and 
found it in fruit, with just a few late blooms on the top branches. The other 
crattegi in the Park were in full flower. A friend, F. L.S., has told me that he grew 
a Glastonbury Thorn in his garden, which he has often seen flowering in winter. 
May not the winter flowering of this early thorn be a second flowering, depen- 
dent on the mildness, or otherwise, of the season? The winter of 1883 was a 
very mild one. On the 24th and 26th December in that year I gathered flowers 
from twenty-seven different species of plants in the neighbourhood of Bath. I 
sent a note of these gatherings to “ Nature,” at the time, as a proof of the 
mildness of the season. I will observe the Glastonbury Thorn in our Park 
closely for the future, both in spring and winter. In the meantime it will be 
interesting to have notes from other observers. 
Bath. W. G. Wheat croft. 
Propagation of Ferns (Ernest W. Jenner). — Mr. W. D. Wickes, F.L.S., 
who has been very successful to the propagation of British Ferns, sends us the 
following record of his experience in the matter : — “ The only condition requisite 
to induce the germination of fern spores, in addition to the proper degree of heat 
for the particular species to which they belong, is simply contact with a con- 
tinually moist undisturbed surface. They will readily grow on damp soil, damp 
brickwork, tiles, or sides of the pots in which the parent plants are growing. 
Perhaps the easiest way is to sow the spores on the surface of moist loamy soil in 
moderate sized pots, keeping the soil about an inch below the edge of the pot, 
so as to admit of its being covered with a piece of glass to prevent excessive 
evaporation ; the pots must be stood in pans in which water must be placed to- 
keep the soil constantly moist. My own experience extends only to our native 
ferns, but this method doubtless will apply to exotics if only the proper degree 
of heat be kept up. 
“ The graceful Asplenium bulhiferum, sometimes called the carrot fern, can 
easily be propagated by carefully detaching the young plants from the parent 
frond, and placing them in pots of damp earth. The three chief things required 
for successful propagation are, shade, shelter, and an abundance of moisture.” 
The following rough and ready method of procedure, recommended by Mr. 
F. W. Burbidge, F.L.S., may be useful. — “ In order to get them to germinate 
if no better appliance is at hand, get a wide-mouthed glass bottle, and fill it 
half full of sandy peat. Press it down tolerably firm and level, then scatter the 
spores over the soil, and cork the bottle. In order to give them sufficient air, 
either insert a quill through the cork, or cut one or two nicks in the side with 
a sharp knife. When the young plants are large enough for planting or potting, 
break the bottle carefully, and then gently separate the little plants.” 
Zebra Finches (E. W. J.) — Zebra finches are apt to make several false 
nests, and lay one or two eggs at intervals before they finally settle into a nest 
quite to their minds, but then they are said to be very prolific, even rearing as 
many as twenty young birds in a year. Canary and millet should be their regular 
food, with sponge cake soaked in water and pressed dry, mixed with a little hard- 
boiled egg, and dried ants’ eggs soaked in water and pressed. They delight in a 
daily bath. They will build in a cocoa-nut or an open basket. E. B. 
Java Sparrows (E. W. J.) — These birds will breed in a cage, and need 
the same treatment as zebra finches, but their diet should include a little hemp 
seed, lettuce and chopped carrot, and a rare dainty would be rice in the ear, as it 
is their natural food. E. B. 
Rabbit (E. W. J.)— The cause of fur coming off is probably from insect 
pests. Dust the rabbit’s coat well with powdered tobacco, give plenty of green 
