July 27, 1882.] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
87 
more extensively grown. As the specific name implies it is a 
native of Peru. I find it succeeds remarkably well in a cool 
stove temperature. Asplenium cicutarium is an extremely hand¬ 
some Fern either for pots or baskets, and in the opinion of many 
is the most handsome of the genus. In a well-grown plant the 
fronds attain the length of about 15 inches, and from 4 to G inches 
broad, with from ten to fifteen horizontal pinnae on each side ; 
the texture is rather thin, and a very pleasing bright green colour. 
The fronds arch gracefully over the sides of the basket, and is a 
great acquisition to the warm fernery. It is a native of Tropical 
America, and delights in a warm humid atmosphere. 
Asplenium longissimum is a very useful Fern for baskets, in 
fact that is the only way in which it can be satisfactorily grown. 
For lofty situations this is one of the few Ferns that is really 
suitable. The fronds droop immediately over the sides of the 
basket, and hang down to a length of 6 or 7 feet. This is one of 
the proliferous species, forming young plants at the end of each 
frond. After the young plants are formed the stock can readily 
be increased by taking the young plants off with a small portion 
of the frond, and pegging them down on a pot filled with sandy 
soil. It is a native of Java, Borneo, Malacca, and Mauritius, and 
grows best in a cool stove temperature, although I have a plant 
in the greenhouse, doing fairly well, but not so free-growing as 
the plants in a higher temperature. 
A. furcatum answers well for a large basket. This is a well- 
known species, and common in collections ; it is a rather strong¬ 
growing species. The fronds grow to a length of between 18 inches 
and 2 feet long, and from 4 to 6 inches broad. It is a very accom¬ 
modating Fern, and answers well either in a cool stove or green¬ 
house temperature. A. flaccidum is another well-known species, 
and a very useful Fern ; for basket work it is am ngst the best 
natives of Australia and New Zealand, and seems quite at home 
in a cool temperature. In a well-grown plant the fronds grow to 
a length of between 2 and 3 feet, and from 4 to 8 inches broad. 
D ivallias are numerous, many of which answer better in baskets 
than pots. Amongst the number I have grown and which do 
remarkably well are the following :—First, which is a great 
favourite with most people, and what is commonly known as the 
Hare’s-foot Fern, D. canariensis, is too well known to need much 
said in its favour. The stout creeping rhizomes, which are densely 
covered wiih pale brown linear scales, are very suggestive of a hare’s 
foot, from which character it has its local name. The rhizomes 
creep over the surface, sides, and bottom of the basket, sending 
out at intervals its quadripinnatifid fronds, which are nearly 
18 inches long and a foot broad. It is a native of the Canary 
Islands, N. Africa, and Madeira, and always thrives in a rather 
cool temperature. 
D. ciliata is a most valuable plant for baskets, and should find 
a place in every collection. The rhizomes are much the same as 
D. canariensis but not so thick, and densely covered with sharp- 
pointed ferruginous scales. The deeply cut lanceolate fronds 
grow nearly 2 feet long, and from G to 8 inches broad. The rhi¬ 
zome travels over the surface, bottom, and sides of the basket ; 
as they extend they should be pegged in close to the basket ; at 
intervals they send out fronds which look exceedingly pretty 
growing in different directions. Being a native of the Philippine 
Islands it requires a stove temperature. 
D. immersa is a handsome Fern for a basket or pot work. 
Before the young fronds are perfectly developed they have a 
peculiar brown tint, and to a stranger look as though they have 
suffered some injury. The tripinnate fronds measure from 12 to 
18 inches long and 6 to 9 inches broad, and are very useful for 
cutting purposes. The rhizome is wide, creeping, and peculiar in 
developing underneath the surface of the soil. There arc several 
other Davallias that are well adapted for basket woik, such as 
D. chaerophylla, D. dissecta elegans, D. hirta cristata, D. Moore- 
ana, and D. repens. 
For large mixed baskets the Ncphrolepis are exceedingly useful, 
N. exaltata, N. acuta, N. cordifolia, and N. davallioides are all 
worth growing. N. davallioides var. furcans i9 a valuable Fern, 
and well deserves to be grown in a basket; the large drooping 
fronds furnished with pinnae of great size and substance renders 
it a desirable plant in any collection. 
Polypodium pectinatum var. Paradisere makes a splendid basket 
Fern, and well suited for a position where a spreading plant is 
required. In pots it appears out of its element, for the fronds 
with me grow about 4 feet long, slender, and gracefully arched ; 
the frond is cut down to the rachis into close blunt horizontal 
pinnae. This variety is a much more handsome Fern than the 
type ; it is a native of the West Indies and Mexico, and grows 
well in a stove temperature. 
Polypodium (Goniophlebium) subauriculatum is amongst the 
most suitable of all Ferns for baskets. It requires to be suspended 
in a rather lofty position on account of the long pendulous fronds, 
which attain the length of nearly 8 feet in a well-established 
plant. It is a rapid-growing Fern, and when once thoroughly 
established soon makes a handsome specimen. It has a wide 
creeping rhizome covered with dull brown scales. The rhizomes 
often grow through the sides of the basket, in time sending out 
fronds. The pinna) are about 4 inches long and three-quarters of 
an inch broad. It is a native of the East Indies, and widely 
distributed, therefore enjoys a warm stove temperature. 
Woodwardia radicans is a well-known species, and well suited 
for pots or baskets. It is a strong-growing Fern, and when grow¬ 
ing likes copious supplies of water. For the conservatory or 
greenhouse it is invaluable. The fronds grow from 4 to 6 feet 
long and from 12 to 18 inches broad. The old fronds are pro¬ 
liferous, producing young plants at the points. If grown in a 
basket it should not be crippled for root room, using good rich 
soil for the occasion.— Aquilina. 
MILTON ABBEY, DORSET. 
The seat of Charles J. S. Hambro, Esq., D.L., is about seven milea 
south-east of Blandford, and eleven miles north-east from Dorchester, 
delightfully situated in one of the most picturesque spots sur¬ 
rounded by hill and dale. The road leading to Milton is for the 
most part up hill, so that before reaching our destination we had 
risen to a considerable height. Turning which way you might 
every yard of the road seemed to present a fresh picture, and from 
the top of one of the heights called Houghton Hill the sea is 
visible. After leaving this we pass along an almost level road to 
the Abbey through the village. Turning sharp to the right down 
a steep declivity we are at once attracted by the beautiful picture. 
The trees in the background to this beautiful picture might be said 
to resemble a horseshoe, we entering at the heel end, with the 
lofty trees surmounting the hills right and left, and in the distance 
beyond the village in front. 
As we pass the village we come more closely to what has been the 
foreground to our picture, at the base of which there is a considerable 
piece of water which we leave to the right, passing through the 
lodge along the other side of the lake a considerable height above it, 
along the carriage drive into the open park, and enter the garden. 
There we were met by the gardener, Mr. Goodall, and conducted into 
one of the houses which form a group ; two span-roofed houses ex¬ 
tending north to south forming the outer boundary to the heated 
pits, span-roofed Cucumber and Melon houses, and span-roofed stove, 
which stands between them, facing the south. 
Passing through a Peach house containing large well-furnished 
and well-fruited trees, we entered a greenhouse tilled with Camellias, 
Orange trees, Ericas, Epacrises, and other hardwooded plants, also 
some healthy well-grown plants of Show Pelargoniums, which were 
bright with bloom. Turning to the heated pits, four ranges in all, 
in which were growing some suitable plants for winter flowering, 
such as Begonia nitida alba and rubra, B. fuchsioides, Poinsettias, 
and that new favourite Nicotiana affinis, of which there was a good 
batch. Cucumber and Melon plants were the principal occupants 
of the remaining. A small span-roofed house in two divisions next 
received attention ; the first division containing the second batch 
of Melons for this season, the other was devoted to Stephanotises 
trained to the roof, Gardenias in variety, Tabenuemontana coronaria, 
and others. A span-roofed stove contains a number of healthy 
plants. Covering part of the roof is a very large plant of Passiflora 
quadrangularis bearing a number of fruits as large as full-grown 
fruits of Queen Anne's Pocket Melon. There were also many other 
kinds of climbing plants, including Jasminum Sambac. which is a 
great favourite there, and Allamanda Hendersoni grandly flowered. 
Noticeable among the other plants were some large highly coloured 
specimens of Croton variegatus, and also a number of smaller speci¬ 
mens suitable for decoration, all equally well coloured, and including 
many of the newest kinds; there were also a number of healthy 
Dracaenas. 
A range of span-roofed vineries on the opposite flank to the Peach 
house and greenhouse is in three compartments, the first containing 
several kinds., including Muscat of Alexandria, Madresfield Court, 
Duke of Buccleuch, well set; and Waltham Cross, also well set and 
bearing some enormous berries. The next division contains Black 
Hamburgh, and the third has Lady Downe’s, Trebbiano, Gros Col- 
man, and Black Alicante, all bearing large bunches and in excellent 
health. The other glass structures consist of three lean-to houses, 
two of which are occupied with Black Hamburgh Grapes, and the 
third with Figs ; the varieties are Brown Turkey and Negro Largo, 
the latter a great favourite. At the back of this house Tomatoes 
were bearing an excellent crop of fruits. The kitchen garden, which 
is about four acres in tx tent, is in two divisions, and subdivided by 
Hornbeam hedges, which form a background to a spacious herbaceous 
border very rich in rare and choice plants. 
Returning from the kitchen garden we cross the park to the man¬ 
sion, a massive square building of Portland stone, with a courtyard 
in the centre. On one side of this mansion, and between it and the 
Abbey church, is a very large conservatory, the roof of w T hich was 
covered with Tacsonia Yan-Volxemi and other climbing plauts, and 
