CULTIVATION. 
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becomes furnished with beautiful projecting fronds. 
If a greater height is desired, another cylinder may 
be added to the first. This mode is equally useful for 
Stenochlcena, Polybotrya , Lomariopsis, &c. In respect 
to species in which the rhizomes elongate slowly, the 
upper part of the cylinder is bare and unsightly for a 
time. This may be obviated by having a short cylinder 
and heighten it by adding short lengths when required. 
The genus Elaplioglossum is generally epiphytal, and 
as some of its larger growing species, such as E. callce- 
folium and E. latifolium, being decumbent casspitose 
in vernation, it is not necessary to have the soil raised 
much above the rim of the pot, which should be of 
the flat kind, and three inches depth of soil is quite 
sufficient. Many smaller species of this genus are 
most lovely objects, and some of them are not yet in 
cultivation. Of the whole Fern Family the Platy cerium 
may be considered the most grand, beautiful, and 
extraordinary; and it is thoroughly typical of this 
epiphytal group. Its natural position of growth is 
sometimes on moist rocks, but usually on the trunks 
and larger branches of trees. The spores becoming 
lodged there, germinate, and, sending out spongy 
fibrils, a little plant, like a circular disk, adhering to 
the tree, analogous to a foliaceous lichen, is formed, 
each succeeding disk (frond) becoming larger and 
overlapping the preceding one. In time the older 
ones loose their vitality, and by this mode of growth 
envelop, or nearly so, that portion of the tree whereon 
they grow in a dense, thick, spongy mass, among which 
the roots insinuate themselves and receive nourishment. 
As equivalent to this, in cultivation blocks of wood 
are mostly used ; but they are objectionable from their 
