March 6, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
185 
synonyms of varieties at most of this plant, and may be treated 
similarly. 
A. concinnum, II. B. Iv.—A very lovely species with gracefully 
drooping tripinnate fronds on shortish black glossy stipes, ovate- 
deltoid in form, the final divisions cuneate with the edges ; 
the fronds vary in length from 9 to 24 inches, of a rich green colour 
when mature, delicate pink in a young state. It is one of the most 
elegant of all the Maidenhairs for baskets, the exquisitely drooping 
fronds fringing the basket, and ultimately covering it ; it is also 
equally desirable for planting out^on the rockery. There is a much- 
appreciated variety known under the name of latum which is more 
robust, and, as it names implies, very broad in all its parts, the fronds 
also being more erect—a very decorative and valuable Fern for all 
purposes. The normal form is a native of Tropical America, widely 
distributed from the Antilles to Brazil. 
A. farleycnsc, Moore.—This magnificent variety is well known to 
all Fern-growers. Originally introduced from Barbadoes, and regarded 
as an abnormal form of A. tenerum, which it more closely approaches 
than any other species. The fronds are large and arching, growing 
from 1 to 3 feet long, three or four times divided, with the large final 
segments cuneate or semicircular, deeply lobed and fringed, of a 
light green colour, with a soft texture. Invaluable as it is for all 
decorative purposes it is especially useful for the exhibition table, 
always counting as a weighty plant if in good condition. It enjoys 
plenty of heat and moisture at the roots dining the summer. I have 
never seen it fertile, although I have heard of its fertility, but I have 
on many occasions observed the margins of the segments rolled back¬ 
wards, forming a kind of indusium, but such were destitute of 
sporangia. 
A. Lathomii, Hort.—A noble Fern hybrid—well, of garden origin, 
said to have been selected from a batch of sporelings of A. Ghies- 
breghti. It produces fronds from 1 to feet long, very broad, ovate 
deltoid in form, with a drooping habit, tripinnately divided ; the ulti¬ 
mate divisions sub-cuneate or half fan-shaped with evenly crenate 
margins, of a pleasing light green colour, and very thickly set in the 
pinnules. In habit and contour it resembles the last, and after all it 
may be but an aberrant form of A. tenerum, for imagine how much 
some Ferns vary, and this will not be difficult to appreciate. By all 
means grow A. Lathomii, whatever its parentage, and you will not 
fail to regard it as one of the best Adiantums. 
L. macrophyllum, Swartz.—One of the most distinct and beauti¬ 
ful of the genus, with creeping rhizomes, from which stout black 
polished stipes are produced, carrying large fronds from 12 to 
20 inches long, and from 4 to 9 inches broad, simply pinnate, with 
a few large pinnse on each side of the shining rachis, which is 
from 3 or 4 inches long and 2 or more inches broad, with the 
margins lobed, of a bright velvety green colour, with a firm texture, 
when young of a delicate pink colour. It is admirably adapted for 
pot culture, forming a most effective specimen when in its grandest 
development, known at a glance from all the rest. Native of 
the West Indian Islands and Mexico, extending as far south as 
Ecuador. 
A. peruvictnum, Klotzscn.— Another handsome species, well 
marked, with stout, ebony-black, glossy stipes, and large arching 
fronds, from 1 to 3 feet long, broadly ovate in form, simply pinnate 
or sometimes divided at the base. The pinme are large, trapeziform, 
taper-pointed, rounded at the base, with the margins lobed or finely 
toothed, of a very deep shining green colour. Native of Peru. 
Known and named for many years, but of comparatively recent 
introduction, and certainly it constitutes one of the most effective 
stove Ferns in cultivation, and no collection should be short of it. 
A. princeps, Moore.—A charming species. It produces large 
arching fronds, from 14 to 3 feet long, deltoid in form, tripinnately 
divided, with the final divisions fan-shaped, wedge-shaped at the 
base, and the outer margin lobed, of a rich green colour. It is a 
very noble-looking species, with a great width of frond and distinct 
appearance, approaching A. speciosum and palmatum. A most effective 
plant for all, but especially for exhibition purposes. 
A. Seemannii, Hook.—Anative of tropical America, occurring in 
Brazil, Veraguas, and Guatemala. Very distinct in appearance, and 
comparatively rare under cultivation. It produces beautifully arching 
fronds from 1 to 2 feet long, and from 6 to 8 inches broad, ovate- 
oblong in form, simply pinnate or rarely branched below, the ter¬ 
minal pinna the largest. The pinnse are 3 or 4 inches long, on 
slender, black, polished stalks, ovate acuminate, unequally sided, 
cordate on one side of the base, with the margins finely serrated, 
when young of a pale reddish colour, changing to deep green in a 
mature condition. The pinnse are perhaps larger than those of any 
other species, and are very effective upon the slender petioles. 
A. speciosum, Hook.—This is a very lovely Fern, although 
inclined to be deciduous, but if kept in heat there are generally some 
fronds on all the year. It produces large, arching, tripinnate, 
deltoid fronds from 14 to 3 feet long, and from 9 to 15 inches across 
the base, with dark polished stipes and rachises. The final segments 
are large, semicircular or cuneate, shortly stalked, the upper margin 
deeply lobed, the lobes being again cut, of a pale green colour, the 
upper surface covered with short pubescence. Native of tropical 
America, occurring in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, &c. Of comparatively 
recent introduction, but it is highly esteemed. 
A. tenerum, Swartz.—However much I admire A. farleyense and 
other varieties which may have emanated from this, I still regard 
this as one of the most graceful of all the Maidenhair Ferns, and 
think it should be represented in all collections of stove Ferns. It 
produces fronds from 1 to 4 feet long, three or four times divided ; 
the final segments cuneate or rhomboidal in outline, the outer margin 
deeply lobed, on short stalks of a light green colour, with a rather 
thin texture. The stipes and rachises are blackish and glossy, erect, 
while the fronds are prettily drooping. Plants of all sizes are most 
suitable for all decorative work, and as a large specimen it is very 
effective even as an exhibition plant.—T. 
(To be continued.) 
FRUIT FARMING. 
Your correspondent, “A Fruit-Grower,” in his excellent 
article on “Fruit Farming and Jam,” at page 100, is quite 
correct in his statement as to the vast quantity of valuable 
dessert and culinary Apples whicb are annually converted into 
cider in this county (Herefordshire). Many of your readers, 
no doubt, would scarcely credit that Ribston Pippin, Blenheim 
Pippin, Downton Golden Pippin, King of the Pippins, and 
similar choice varieties all share the same fate. Not a few 
persons will doubtless exclaim, “What a shame!” But your 
correspondent has explained why the farmers resort to this 
course. The excessive railway rates are the chief cause, closely 
followed by the exactions of dealers and middlemen. It is time 
something was done to relieve the farmer from these exorbitant 
charges. With regard to salesmen and middlemen, large growers 
should do as some of the Kentish fruit-growers do—viz., attend 
the markets themselves and sell their own productions; they 
will then know exactly what they realise and save the com¬ 
mission, and not unfrequently make a higher price than a 
salesman would. 
Until the railway rates are considerably reduced farmers in 
these parts are not likely to cultivate Apples for market to any 
great extent, cider-making pays too well for that; and here I 
would draw your correspondent’s attention to a slight dis¬ 
crepancy in his statement. He says, “ It takes on an average 
a bushel of Apples to make a gallon of cider.” He has evidently 
been misinformed on this point, as 200 gallons of Apples will 
make 100 gallons of cider of good ordinary quality. This is a 
fair average. Many thousands of bushels of Apples have been 
sold during the past autumn at Is. per bushel of ten gallons, 
so that the fruit necessary to make 100 gallons of cider has 
cost £1; add to this the usual charge for making—viz., 5s., and 
then selling the cider at 6c7. per gallon, it surely leaves a 
fair profit. One shilling per bushel may be considered very 
low, but the crop was so enormous last season that they paid 
very well even then. Many a cottager’s rent is annually paid by 
the product of his Apple trees; and at the present time many 
landowners find great difficulty in letting their farms where 
tliei’e are no good Apple orchards upon them, but have little 
difficulty in doing so when they promise to plant new orchards 
or renovate the old ones. The farmers find it in every way 
better and cheaper to give their men cider in preference to beer. 
I know one gentleman who plants annually 500 trees of King 
of the Pippins, chiefly for cider-making, and he maintains there 
is no variety better suited fur the purpose. The great advantage 
in planting such sorts as King of the Pippins, Downton Golden 
Pippin, or Blenheim Orange in large quantities, is worthy of note, 
as some seasons they will pay much better to send to market than 
they will to make into cider, even under the present adverse 
circumstances; whereas if the ordinary cider sorts are planted, 
they must be made into cider or wasted, as but very few of them 
are of any value either for dessert or culinary purposes. 
H. R. Illman, Hereford . 
PRUNING ROSES. 
On page 15 1 read with a little surprise the following—All such as are 
growing in sheltered positions, if pruned at once, will in all probability 
afford abundance of early blooms.” I presume this is meant, only for 
garden Roses, and that no one would think of treating his exhibition plants 
to this early pruning, as, if not absolutely destroyed by such a March as 
that of 1883, they are certainly damaged, and in many localities the advice, 
however, is given for “ sheltered positions.” 
The next paragraph, however, is to me quite incomprehensible, and 
