170 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ March 2, 189?. 
more natural. For instance, one good Dicksonia or any other 
of the handsome Tree Ferns planted in the centre of a conservatory 
or Palm house, and encouraged to develop its huge fronds in a 
natural way, with a good carpet of Selaginella growing up to its 
trunk, would form a more pleasing feature than a dozen plants 
huddled together in pots and tubs. 
Again, there are other Ferns most unsuitable for pot culture 
owing to their natural drooping character, but which are invaluable 
for baskets or overhanging rocks. Among these especially may be 
named the Woodwardias and Goniophlebiums, the latter requiring 
a higher temperature than the former to see it at its best. In the 
fernery here the Woodwardias are a grand sight ; hanging over the 
rocks many feet, and reproducing themselves as they do from the 
tips of the matured fronds, is both interesting and curious. I be¬ 
lieve it possible to have this valuable Fern in a healthy condition, 
reaching as much as 20 feet. To accomplish this the plants should 
be placed in baskets or planted near rocks overhanging water, and 
the foliage kept in an almost dripping state, or thrips, the great 
enemy of most Ferns, would soon attack the old foliage and destroy 
the beauty and true character of the plant. Most of the Davallias, 
too, are very suitable for rocks and baskets, their creeping rhizomes 
producing the most beautiful fronds, and which last a long 
time in a cut state. Many others could be named which are more 
suitable for baskets than pots. I would strongly advise those 
who have not succeeded as well as they would wish with that lovely 
Fern, Adiantum farleyense, to try it in baskets. I find it does 
much better and lasts many years without any trouble. To disturb 
the roots when well established is a great mistake ; rather assist 
them during the growing season with a little artificial manure once 
or twice a week, and top-dress them with fibrous loam, if this can 
be done without injury to the young fronds. The same can be 
said of that most useful Fern, A. cuneatum. Baskets made up of 
this two years ago are now perfect globes of fronds 4 feet through, 
and which never tail to attract attention. 
In selecting baskets for Ferns reject all ornamentation of wire- 
work. Let them be as plain as possible, but strong ; the object 
in view should be a mass of healthy foliage, completely hiding the 
basket. I find the best baskets are those of a round or half globe 
shape. This allows the light to act on a larger surface than is the 
case with those with broad, flat bottoms. In making these up 
the best results are obtained by using one variety of Fern only 
in each basket. When several varieties are mixed together they 
soon form a mass, the stronger smothering the weaker, and 
resulting in an unsightly object. 
At the present season, before growth is too far advanced, all 
Ferns should be overhauled, cutting away all old fronds which keep 
light and air from those that are pushing up. It may not be 
found necessary to disturb many of them, but it is very essential 
to know that the drainage is perfect, and though Ferns require a 
great amount of water, like other plants, they quickly resent it in 
a stagnant form. 
Most Ferns enjoy peat, but it is a mistake to think they will 
not succeed without it. There are very few varieties which do not 
enjoy fibrous loam and leaf mould with coarse sand and charcoal 
added. Adiantums especially do better in a mixture of this kind 
than in peat alone. All Ferns enjoy an atmosphere charged with 
moisture. This being so, it is decidedly wrong to ventilate too 
freely, or in such a way as to cause a rush of air through the 
house. Where proper ventilation is provided at the top of the 
building this will be found sufficient, and seldom will it be 
necessary to add any at the bottom. 
In establishments where much cut-flower work is carried on a 
plentiful supply of Fern fronds is indispensable. This demand 
should be met by growing several batches of plants in pots of the 
most useful kinds, chiefly Adiantums and Pberis. This can easily 
be done in the fruit houses, especially in vineries where they 
enjoy the shade from the foliage above. By this means the beauty 
of the fernery is not destroyed by repeated cutting.— Richard 
Parker, Impney. 
[No one can visit the beautiful under-glass fernery at Impney, 
with its bold rocks, charming vistas, pleasing water scenes, and 
luxurious Ti’ee and scandent Ferns, without recognising the taste 
and cultural skill displayed by our correspondent.] 
packing garden produce. 
Another London season has commenced, and doubtless in 
more than one case the consignment of produce from the country 
garden to the town house will have begun. However, some time 
will elapse until this becomes, generally, a part of routine garden 
work. In the meantime, an account of my manner of packing may, 
I trust, be helpful. My experience 18 thflt the detnand for flowepg 
is almost insatiable. A grower, producing largely for Covent 
Garden, lately told me that this market is at once the dearest and" 
the cheapest mart of the kind in the world. Good produce, in 
demand and scarce, invariably sells at a high rate, while a plentiful- 
supply makes low prices. But against this my ladies have often, 
told me that the particular items they require, especially flowers,, 
never fall to a price that they could with truth term inexpensive... 
So the old garden in the country is called upon to bear the brunt 
of the season. 
It has been dawning on the minds of gardeners that the ways- 
and methods of the growers for market are worth attention. For 
example, the market gardener does not put his merchandise in 
large or in heavy packages, but always in sizes that are easy to 
handle. Gardeners, on the other hand, are addicted to a practice- 
of consigning in one bulky hamper, unmindful that the porters and 
carriers through whose hands it must pass will, naturally, exhibit 
less care in handling a heavy and unwieldly hamper than in those 
that are compact and easy to move. I believe there are to-day 
packers who still put together into one hamper the vegetables, 
fruit, and flowers of each consignment, and this, no doubt, on the 
double score of saving trouble and lessening expense. This, how¬ 
ever, is a mistake. A number of light, handy parcels are in every" 
way easier to manage than a heavy one, and the cost of transit is 
no more. But it must be admitted that market growers are in a 
position to carry out the system in a manner impossible for private- 
gardeners to imitate. The latter are obliged to put small packages 
of various vegetables, or of other garden produce, into one hamper. 
While, however, that is so, it is nevertheless a simple matter to 
select and pack the heavier and coarser vegetables together, those 
that are light or fragile being put separately. 
The hampers I use for vegetables, also for flowers, are those 
employed by continental firms for the transmission of Lettuces and 
of fruit during the winter. The hampers are of two sizes, the 
larger of which measures 24 by 16 by 9 inches and the smaller 
18 by 12 by 6 inches. The former is the more useful, the latter 
being employed for carrying fruit, and only occasionally flowers. 
These hampers cost Is. each, and they last three years- For the 
best flowers, such as Orchids, small boxes are used. These cost 
Id. to 2 d. each, and are bought at a store in the neighbourhood. 
For long-stemmed flowers boxes are specially made. These are 
4 feet in length, 11 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Square punnets,, 
costing 63 . 6 d. per gross, I fill with Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and with 
small fruits. They are, of course, packed for transit in one of the 
larger hampers. The only other material of impcrtance is paper. 
This is of two qualities ; a light make like tissue paper costing 
Ss. per ream, and in this we pack the ^best flowers. The other 
paper is of a much heavier quality, costs 5s. per ream, and is 
used for packing both flowers and fruit. Small string, as well as 
twine of moderate strength, is required for fastening both hampers 
and boxes. Nails are on no account used to secure the latter, but 
only string. Even when, as occasionally happens, two or more 
boxes are sent as one parcel, they are not separately fastened, but 
tied together. This method, which gives a security which, 
practically is complete, is commendable on account of the saving 
to the boxes as well as because it facilitates packing and un¬ 
packing. 
In the manner of gathering the various vegetables and out-of- 
door fruit there is a right and a wrong way. It is inadvisable 
to set several men to this work. Generally, one man is capable o£ 
overtaking it, but if more are necessary, allot to one man the task 
of gathering vegetables, and to the other fruit. There will thus 
be no overlapping, no standing in each other’s way. Again, 
always set the same men to the same work ; it is done more 
expeditiously, and better, and the gardener is saved much worry. 
I make it my special duty to gather flowers and hothouse fruits, 
I also superintend the packing of vegetables, and invariably pack 
flowers and fruit myself. 
As the garden is, by road and rail, about twelve hours distant 
from the London house, care is required to forward at the right, 
time and in the right way. We arrange at the beginning of eacb 
season for a low through rate, by express. The difference-, 
amounts to Id. per pound, but as the ordinary rate is 2 d., it will 
be seen that exactly 100 per cent, is saved. In the course of a 
“season” freight charges amount to several pounds. Irom our 
station many parcels can be sent as one, but from London eachi 
separate empty is charged at the same rate as a half cwt- I have, 
also found that small parcels up to a certain weight, as a rule, 
are sent more cheaply and expeditiously by train than by parcel 
post. Flowers, vegetables, and fruit are gathered early in the 
morning of the day for forwarding, packed in the forenoon, and 
during the afternoon the hampers are sent to the station to be 
consigned direct to London by night express, and they are delivered 
early in the morning at their destination.—R. P. B, 
(To be coutinuedO 
