G2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 22, 18^5. 
now t>3 secured to the trellis again, allowing room for all young wood to 
swell double its present size. 
It is a custom for amateurs and some others to make their houses 
receptacles for fl >wer pots, sticks, labels, and cans. If any of these re¬ 
main clear all out at once; they rob the plan's, &c„ of the air which is 
necessary for their subsistence, also encourage all kinds of veimin, be¬ 
sides appearing very untidy. 
Any spots of limewash should now bo removed from doors, shelves, or 
pipes ; all loose soil being taken off the surface. Manure may be added to 
the borders if judged to be necessary, some fresh soil placed on them, 
the trellis or other paths washed clean, and all will then be ready for 
another year’s work with far better chances of success than starting with 
unsweetened houses, which encourage all kinds of insect and other petD, 
and never give first-rate produce, cleanliness being quite as essential to 
plant life as it is for animals.— W. H. Divebs, Ketton Hall. 
CHOICE LITTLE FERNS. 
When once a taste is acquired for the smaller members of 
the Fern family, an indescribable interest centres in them. There 
is the interest arising from the comparison between them and 
other species. Take as an example the great difference between 
Daval ia parvula and Cyathea princeps, which are united by a 
series of gradations, alike remarkable in beauty and structure. 
The study of plant life in all its phases yields much pleasure, 
but, in my opinion, that of Ferns is particularly so. There is 
much more in the life history of a Fern than appears upon the 
surface. Doubtless much is yet to be learnt concerning it; freaks 
occur now an 1 again which reveal the imperfection of our present 
knowledge. I am not quite certain whether all the details are 
mastered in connection with the viviparous character of many 
species, and the varying aspects this peculiarity assumes in 
different species. One thing is remarkable in a general way— 
viz., the perpetual effect of original impregnation in the pro- 
thallus state, resulting in the development of a bud, which under 
favourable conditions ultimately grows into an individual 
•capable of producing millions of spores, the majority, at least, 
having the power to increase the species. But it is not my 
intention to enter this field; so now to the text. Perhaps the 
chief interest in connection with these Ferns is their culture. 
Many are the methods adopted to make some of them happy. 
One or two of those described below have caused many heart¬ 
burnings and disappointments, and yet when once the right knack 
has been discovered the vexations are forgotten, and the success 
seems all the more enjoyable. I have seen some of these under 
very varying conditions as regards temperature doing splendidly. 
Rhipidopteris peltata, for example, I have grown in a greenhouse, 
and have known others to succeed with it in the Orchid house, 
the specimens in the latter temperature being largest, but the 
plant under cool treatment was perfectly healthy and very active. 
The value of any plant is doubtless increased if it can be accom¬ 
modated in a medium or low temperature. A host of enthusiasts 
then take it in hand, who for want of means would have to do 
without it. On that account it is worth while to sacrifice some¬ 
thing to find out the limits as regards temperature which such 
little beauties as the Ferns I have selected for this paper can be 
grown in. It is useless to attempt cultural instructions in a 
general way for them, so I will give a few hints with each brief 
description, as their requirements are variable. Of course the 
few described below are only a tithe of those which can lay equal 
claim to merit, and upon another occasion some others may be 
made the subject for another paper. 
Actiniopteris radiata. — So muchwas the original describer 
■of this Fern struck with the rayed character of the fronds, that 
both the generic and specific names are based upon it; the former 
literally means the “rayed Fern,” and the latter has a similar 
meaning. It has also been aptly compared to a miniature 
Chamaerops, a quaint, unique little plant. The fronds are in 
dense tufts, from 2 to 6 inches high ; the lamina fan-shaped, an 
inch or more across each way, divided to the stem into narrow 
segments which are again deeply forked, those of the fertile 
fronds longer than the barren ones, but all narrow and pointed, 
of a pale green in colour, and of a rigid texture. It is scattered 
over a large area, is abundant in many parts of India, Ceylon, 
Arabia, &c.; an elongated variety named australis is also recog¬ 
nised. The most successful way to grow the “ rayed Fern ” is 
in a shallow pan most efficiently drained, and filled some 3 inches 
above the rim with a mixture of sweet fibrous peat, sand, and 
charcoal, to which some nodules of sandstone may be added. 
Arrange some of the latter about the tufts, water carefully, do 
not wet the fronds, keep it in a stove temperature, and cover the 
plants with a bellglass, placing the pan in a shady position near 
tne glass. Disturb it as little as possible. 
Asplenium fontanum (the Rock Spleenwort).—Though once 
a recorded native of several places in Britain, it is now, I fear 
unknown in a wild state. The fronds are tufted, growing under 
varying conditions from 3 to 8 or even 9 inches long, about an 
inch or so broad, oblong-lanceolate in form, twice divided, the 
pinnules again being deeply cut, in some instances nearly down 
to the midribs, of a deep green colour, with a soft texture- The 
segments are so closely set, and often imbricated, as to give the 
fronds a curled appearance. Under natural conditions it occurs 
over a wide area, including nearly all parts of Europe, the 
Himalayas, &c. It is perfectly hardy in many parts of the 
country. I have never seen finer fronds produced than upon a 
lant in the hardy fernery belonging to E. G. Loder, Esq., 
loore House. Weedon, near Northampton. It was planted on 
an elevated ledge of the rockery in gritty soil, and was evidently 
quite at home. In less favoured localities it may be grown in 
the coolest house or pit, or it forms a charming specimen in the 
Wardian case in a dwellmg-rcom. It requires good drainage, 
a gritty soil of loam and peat. 
Davallia parvula. —This is charmingly pretty ; the slender 
scaly rhizomes run rapidly when the plant is happy, and they are 
covered with the tiny fronds which grow from l to 3 inches high, 
the latter height only acquired in a high moist atmosphere. 
They are triangular ovate in outline, twice or three times divided, 
the last divisions forked or deeply cut, of a rich green colour 
with a firm texture. Native of Borneo and Singapore. I have 
seen this most successfully grown in small pans of soil well 
raised and fibrous, and remember some very fine examples of it 
at Mr. Williams’ nursery at Holloway several years ago. Quite 
recently I saw it most happily accommodated at Messrs. Birken¬ 
head’s nursery at Sale, near Manchester, upon small blocks of 
cork. Some fibrous soil and fresh moss is secured with the plant 
to the cork with copper wire, and suspended in one of the stove 
ferneries there; the whole is kept damp, the moss is healthy and 
green, and the Davallia forms charming little clumps; indeed 
it is much more satisfactory grown thus than by any other 
method. 
Davallia alpina. —This is often called Humata alpina, but 
is a larger plant than the last, yet small and quite distinct. The 
fronds spring from small wide-creeping rhizomes, are from li to 
3 inches high sometimes, but rarely more, triangular in outline, 
the barren frond not so much divided as the fertile one, which is 
sharply toothed at the lower portion; the colour is dull green, 
with a tough firm texture. It is found in Java, Borneo, and 
contiguous islands. It does well treated like D. parvula, but it 
is more vigorous, and forms a broad mass in much less time than 
that species. In ferneries where a good rockery exists it may 
with advantage be planted on a shallow ledge in a light elevated 
position, where it may be expected to establish itself, and ulti¬ 
mately clothe the ledge with its pretty frondage. The soil 
necessary is a free gritty mixture, mainly of peat and sand. 
Gymnogramma hispid a. —A distinct and pretty little species 
from New Mexico and the valley of the Rio Grande, producing 
triangular fronds upon stipes from 3 to 6 inches high, three 
times divided, the ultimate divisions strap-shaped and obtuse; the 
colour is pale green, the surface very hairy and scaly, the stalks 
are also hairy. I saw it in plenty at Messrs. Birkenhead’s 
recently in a very cool house, with multitudes of Cheilanthes, 
Pellaeas, &c., with which it delights to dwell. These were grown 
in pots. The best position for it is on a small rockery in a cool 
house or pit, with thorough drainage, and a gritty soil with 
which some nodules of sandstone may be added. Failing tbis, 
grow it in a well-drained pan, always keep the foliage dry, or 
decay will be the result. 
Gymnogramma triangularis. — An elegant little Fern, 
abundant on rocky hillsides throughout California, where it is 
known as the “ Californian Gold Fern,” and other parts of 
North America, and is quite distinct from the last. The fronds 
grow from 4 to 12 inches high upon slender polished stipes; the 
lamina is triangular or pentagonal in outline, from 2 to 4 inches 
each way, sometimes more under liberal cultivation, twice divided, 
the final lobe blunt, oblong, with slightly crenated margins; the 
upper surface is deep green and smooth, the under is coated with 
yellow farina; sometimes the powder is nearly white, but all I 
have seen under cultivation possessed the yellow colour. This 
may be successfully treated like the last. It is best planted out 
on a small rockery, placing the crowns securely between two 
pieces of sandstone. The finest specimens I have seen were 
in Mr. Loder’s garden, planted in a most interesting wall- 
fernery in a cool house. As far as I remember it was planted 
in a small pocket, where it was thriving splendidly, producing 
fine fronds. 
Nephrodium fragrans. —This Fern is often called Lastrea 
fragrans, and almost invariably sent from North America as 
