STANSFIELDS’ CATALOGUE. 
20 
No. 5 . (l 4 
Scolopendrium Smith. 
vulgare. 
neglect to give the plants the necessary amount of water. Most 
variable of all ferns its named forms or varieties are now counted 
by hundreds. Some of them exhibit the strangest anomalies to be 
found in the ivhole vegetable world. But the great marvel is that 
these f reaks and tricks of nature should be repeated when the plants 
are reproduced from spores, as happens in so many cases even to the 
minutest detail. Among British ferns, truly this protean species, in 
its manifold and almost countless variations, is in itself a study. 
Plant in sandy loam, in a moist, shady, sheltered nook. Tenderer 
subjects may be planted in a compost of loam, fbry peat and silver 
sand. In either case a small quantity of well-decayed leaf-mould 
may be added. And in all cases the plant is benefitted by bits of 
limestone (or a smaU quantity of old crumbled mortar, or broken 
oyster shells ) being interspersed through the compost, the Hart’s 
Tongue fern being a true limestone plant. Provided the drainage 
be perfect, too much water can hardly be given during the season of 
growth, though, of course, it is not well to subject the plants to a 
constant deluge. All the kinds of Scolopendrium not of a vigorous 
habit of growth are, here, cultivated under glass. 
Trichomanes L. 
531 radicans Swartz (brevisetum) — Bristle Fern 5s. to 10 6 
532 — Andrewsii M. 10 0 
This beautiful species requires about similar treatment, so far as 
regards planting, to that recommended for the British Hymeno- 
phyllums. Though it is best, as a rule, to grow the Bristle Fern in 
a close, glazed case, it frequently makes most luxuriant growths without 
such confinement, and planted merely in a shady corner of a cool 
house. But a uniformly moist atmosphere is essential, and when this 
condition cannot be ensured in the place where the fern is to be grown, 
then a glazed gtast, becomes necessary. What moisture the plants 
receive should be in the form of exhalation; avoid casting water 
directly upon the fronds. It will be seen that the lovely Bristle Fern, 
in cultivation, is essentially a greenhouse or quasi -greenhouse species. 
Woodsia Brown. 
533 alpina Gray (hyperhorea) *. ..7s. 6d. to 10 6 
534 Ilvensis (It. Brown) . . 3s. 6d. to 5 0 
Stagnant water and stagnant air are alike hurtful to these beautiful 
little ferns ; ample drainage and thorough ventilation are therefore 
essential conditions, in cultivation. But though well drained, the soil 
should not be allowed to get too dry. A cool, airy situation, with a 
moist soil, is the one in which the plants are most at home. For 
compost use mainly fibrous peat, with a fair amount of silver sand, 
a littje thoroughly decomposed leaf-mould, and a small proportion of 
loam. As the Woodsias require a cool situation, one with a northern 
aspect is obviously the best. 
Lycopodium L. 
535 alpinum L . — Alpine Club Moss 2 6 
536 clavatum L . — Common do. 16 
537 SelagoX.— Fir do 16 
538 selaginoides L . — Prickly do. 2 6 
The Club Mosses should be planted in fibrous peat, intermixed with 
sphagnum (chopped small). 
