THE BLADDER FERNS. 
101 
difficult to grow. It lias sported very little, but wbat it has 
done it has done well. 
C. f. Dickieana (Dickie’s), Found wild in Scotland; is a 
great improvement on the normal form, the fronds being 
leafier throughout, and the divisions compact, while in the 
common form they are far apart. 
C. f. Dick, crispa (crisped). A curled and congested form 
of the preceding, the divisions being overlapped and twisted. 
Yery pretty and distinct. 
C. sempervirens (evergreen) is believed to be a variety 
of C. fragilis. It is a much bolder growing form, of normal 
outline, which, if protected during the winter, is reputed to 
be evergreen, though our experience does not confirm this. 
It has given, we believe, the only constantly crested form of 
the species, viz., 
C. cristata (crested), in which all the fronds are crested, 
but in a varying degree, some very heavily and handsomely, 
and some on a small scale only. 
Tile Mountain Bladder Fern 
(Cystopteris montana). 
This is not very dissimilar to the Oak Fern {Polypodium. 
Dryopteris) in the plan of its fronds and general habit of 
growth, but lacks the peculiarly lovely green of that Fern. 
It is reputed to be very difficult of cultivation, but we have 
grown it for years in ordinary open Fern soil, well drained ; and 
having transferred small portions at random into pots with 
other Ferns, have found them thrive under quite general 
conditions. It starts into growth very suddenly in the early 
spring, and dies down in the early autumn. It is very pretty, 
but has afforded, so far, mo varieties. 
Alpine Bladder Fern 
{Cystopteris regia. Syn. C. alpina). 
This is extinct now as a wild plant. It resembles strongly 
C. fragilis, and has not sported. Cultivation same as other 
members of the family. 
