BRITISH FERNS. 
9 
No. 
Blechnum l . 
189 Spicant variabile ill . — fronds entire for one-third their length, gradually 
enlarging to the middle, then suddenly contracting to a quarter of an 
inch in breadth : an interesting variety 
The Hard Fern is not a fastidious species. It may he grown in loam, 
or it may he grown in loam mixed with peat, or it may he grown in a 
stiff, clayey soil ; hut it has some preferences and one very decided 
antipathy — it prefers moist situations with a northern aspect, and 
dislikes the lime. The lime, indeed, appears to he as injurious to the 
Blechnum Spicant among ferns as it is to the Common Ling among 
flowering plants. Lime, in all its forms, therefore, should he avoided; 
even water containing lime should not he used. Inplanting, intersperse 
small fragments of grit-rock through the compost, to consist, say of loam, 
turfy peat, leaf mould and sand. The Hard Fern is one of the commonest 
of our evergreen species. When planted in a moist, shady nook of the 
rockery, as it ought to he, the deep-green colour of its shining fronds 
(barren) makes a very beautiful obfect. Some of its varieties are 
among the most curious and interesting of ferns. In the above direc- 
tions, the treatment of the varieties is, of course, included . 
Botrychium Swartz. 
190 Lunaria Sioartz — Common Moomvort . . . . 10 
Plant in sandy loam or peat, and keep moderately and uniformly 
moist during the period of growth. 
Ceterach Willd. (Asplenium, Grammitis). 
191 officinarum Willd . — Common Scaly Spleenwort or Scale Fern 0 6 
192 — crenatum M 1 9 
Compost to consist of, part old lime or mortar rubbish, part peat, 
and part small fragments of limestone, the Scale Fern being a true 
limestone plant; and as it is extremely impatient of water, particular 
care should he taken about the drainage ; in watering, avoid wetting 
the fronds. 
Cystopteris (Aspidium, Polypodium). 
193 fragilis Bernh 0 6 
194 — angustata Link 10 
195 — decurrens M 1 6 
196 — dentata Hooker 10 
197 — Dickieana M . . 10 
198 crispa Tait 10 6 
199 — furcaos M 2 6 
200 — interrupta W. 
201 — sempervirens M. 2 6 
202 montana Bernh 3s. 6d. to 5 0 
203 regia (Desvaux) — Alpine Bladder Fern.. .. 3s. 6d. to 5 0 
The Cystopteris fragilis and its varieties do well in a compost of 
fibrous peat and loam, with a little thoroughly decayed leaf -mould and 
fine sand added, and a small amount of old, crumbled mortar. They 
are especially eligible for situations a little moist in the rockery. In 
pot culture, a few small fragments of limestone may be introduced into 
the compost and the caudex of the plant placed, erect, between these. 
It is important to drain well. C. montana may be grown in shallow 
pans half filled with drainage and half with the compost described 
above. We have occasionally seen this fern (C. montana), in moist, 
shady situations, luxuriating in a compost consisting almost wholly 
of loam. 
s. d. 
3 6 
