July 31, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
85 
T HE Royal Horticultural Society's Fern Exhibition and Con¬ 
ference in the Chiswick Garden last week provided consider¬ 
able interest for the admirers of these graceful and varied plants. 
The exhibitors were few, but the collections staged have probably 
never been equalled at any society’s show in this or any other 
•country. There were from 200 to 600 distinct forms in each 
•contribution, representing not only the best of the exotic Ferns, 
but also what have become even more numerous—the variations of 
British Ferns—which now appear to be almost endless. The 
schedule comprised six classes, and in the first of these for British 
Ferns ten groups were enumerated to include all the principal 
genera that have yielded variations freely either wild or under 
•cultivation. Hardy foreign Ferns formed the next class, then 
there were others for stove and greenhouse Ferns, SelagineJlas and 
Lycopodiums, “ Ferns best adapted for cultivation in rooms,” and 
*“ Ferns for hanging baskets.” The object throughout was 
evidently to procure both collections and selections, but no pro¬ 
vision was made for the tasteful arrangement of Ferns in groups 
as showing the special cultural value of Ferns for ornamental 
purposes. The large tent nearly 2(30 feet long had a stage at each 
•side, and upon these the Ferns were arranged very much in the 
way they are too often seen in warm or cool houses in gardens, 
which is the least adapted for displaying the beauties of these 
plants to advantage. To have provided for groups of Ferns 
arranged for effect would have required at least another large 
tent. 
The official lists of awards and certificates will be found on 
another page, but prominence must be given here to three of the 
collections, because they were of such an exceptional character that 
individually they would have formed an exhibition of importance. 
A silver challenge cup offered by Mr. N. N. Sherwood for the best 
collection of hardy Ferns and their varieties was won by Mr. E. J. 
Lowe for the present year, his collection being a remarkable one in 
all respects, and the finest series of Fern variations ever exhibited, 
all extremely interesting, and many exquisitely beautiful. Then a 
gold medal was adjudged to Messrs. J. Veitch& Sons with a repre¬ 
sentative group of stove and greenhouse Ferns in all their most 
distinct and graceful forms, comprising those introduced by the 
firm in recent years (see page 91), a group of hybrid, or sup¬ 
posed hybrid, Ferns, and a large collection of crested exotic 
Ferns, such as are now employed in decorative purposes so 
generally. Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, who have so long made a 
specialty of these delightful plants, were also honoured with a gold 
medal for their wonderful collection of choice Ferns, carefully 
arranged to represent nearly the whole of the classes enumerated 
in the Society’s schedule, all fresb and neat little plants. For Mr. 
C. T. Druery’s handsome plumose and other Ferns, and for Mr. 
May’s extensive group of decorative Ferns, medals were also 
awarded, and the Royal Horticultural Society may be congratulated 
upon the horticultural success of their Fern Exhibition, and upon 
having performed a useful service in calling attention to a class of 
charming plants that are not so popular as their merits might be 
expected to render them. 
Why Ferns should be neglected by amateur cultivators is diffi¬ 
cult to understand. The majority of the most ornamental are 
easily grown, and they are certainly not expensive to purchase, yet 
No. 527,— Vol. XXI., Third Series, 
anything like a collection is rarely seen in garders. A few 
Adiantums, Aspleniums, and Pterises, which are largely grown for 
decorative purposes, are almost the only kinds found in gardens 
generally, and with the exception of a very few enthusiastic amateurs 
like Messrs. Lowe and Druery, we have either to visit the leading 
nurseries or the chief botanic gardens to find Ferns adequately 
represented. To form an idea of the marvellous extent of varia¬ 
tion in Ferns it is only necessary to glance through the great 
collection at Kew, noting the stately tree-like Cyatheas and Dick- 
sonias, which rear their imposing crowns of fronds far above all 
their relatives ; the graceful Adiantums, the powdered Gold and 
Silver Gymnogrammas, the luxuriant and elegant Davallias, the 
exquisitely beautiful Cheilanthes and Nothochlaenas with fronded 
tracery, the distinct climbing Lygodiums forming long wreaths and 
festoons of twining fronds, the bold Aspleniums, the rugged 
Marattias and Angiopteris, the creeping Polypodiums, and lastly, 
those gems of the Fern world, the “ Filmies,” Trichomanes, 
Plymenophyllums, and Todeas, the translucent fronds of which 
appear in some cases frosted with crystals or glittering with liquid 
diamonds. These are only a few of the types that take the atten 
tion of a passing visitor to our national collection, but to those who 
possess a more intimate knowledge of the hundreds of species now 
cultivated in British gardens there are abundant other attractions 
of scarcely less importance ; in fact nearly every individual Fern 
is invested with sufficient character to render it an interesting 
study to all who care to devote a little time to its careful 
examination. 
There is no doubt also that from a public exhibition point of 
view Ferns have been comparatively neglected. Their history, 
structure, and culture, too, afford abundant materials for discussion 
at a conference, which can easily be rendered of an exceedingly 
interesting and important character. It is true that some societies 
have provided classes for specimen Ferns at the larger exhibitions, 
the northern societies in particular also giving encouragement to 
hardy Ferns, but beyond that little has been done. Two important 
exceptions must, however, be noticed—namely, at Brighton and 
Bath, where attempts have been earnestly made to do justice to this 
large and beautiful family of plants. At Brighton classes have 
been devoted to groups of Ferns arranged for effect, and the 
results have been satisfactory in the extreme, instructive as showing 
what can be accomplished with Ferns alone, and affording a refresh¬ 
ing contrast with the bright masses of colour furnished by Pelar¬ 
goniums and other flowering plants. Compared with the conven¬ 
tional groups at shows these are far superior when tastefully de¬ 
signed, not crowded, but allowing every distinct character of 
frondage and habit to be distinctly seen. Much, of course, depends 
upon the individual taste of the competitor and the Ferns at com¬ 
mand, but diversity of style often compensates for a restricted 
collection of varieties, the banking method being avoided in all 
cases. The Bath Society at one of their summer shows a year or 
two since had a large tent exclusively occupied with Ferns, British 
varieties largely predominating, and the late celebrated pteridologist 
Colonel Jones was one of the chief exhibitors. In a large experi¬ 
ence of shows throughout this country we have never seen a more 
interesting or pleasing tent of plants, and it was quite refreshing to 
turn from the grand floral display in other portions of the grounds 
to the coolness and varied shades of green in the Fern tent. 
With regard to the commercial value of Ferns for decorative 
purposes, it might be safely stated that, though as collections 
representing the family Feins are neglected in private gardens, 
yet never in the history of horticulture have they been so exten¬ 
sively employed for house adornment and in floral arrangements 
as at the present time. It would be difficult to estimate the 
number of Ferns sent into the markets in the course of a year, 
and impossible to give even a vague idea of the quantity of cut 
fronds of Adiantums and other Ferns, either sent from growers in 
this country or imported from the continent. Suffice it that some 
No. 2183 .—Yol. LXXXIII., Old Series 
