564 
OURNAL OF HORTIOUL1URE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 24, 1885. 
round which all minor establishments of the same nature should be 
arranged; they should be all under the control of the chief of that 
garden, acting in concert with him, and through him with one another, 
reporting constantly their proceedings, explaining their wants, receiving 
iheir supplies, and aiding the mother country in everything that is uselul 
iu the vegetable kingdom. Medicine, commerce, agriculture, horticulture, 
and many valuable branches of manufacture would derive much benefit 
from the adoption of such a system. From a garden of this kind Govern¬ 
ment would be able to obtain authentic and official information on points 
connected with the founding of new colonies. It would afford the plants 
there required without its being necessary as now to apply to the officers 
of private establishments for advice and assistance. 
“ The limit of the garden not being exactly defined where it met the 
precincts of the residence of the King of Hanover, permission was obtained 
to include within the botanic garden all the ground immediately about 
the conservatory and orangery, which greatly enhanced the beauty of the 
view and added between three and four acres. Soon after application 
was made to the Queen for a grant of land from the contiguous pleasure 
ground, which might afford the moans of forming a pinetum (or a collec¬ 
tion of plants of the Pine tribe) and of erecting a Palm stove or tropical 
house worthy of the place and the nation. Her Majesty was graciously 
pleased to permit a portion of the pleasure ground, comprising about 
forty-seven acres and including a piece of water, to be devoted to these 
purposes, and enclosed within a light wire fence, which now separates the 
botanic gardens from the pleasure ground. 
“ Again, in the winter of 1846-7 orders were received for abolishing 
the Royal kitchen and forcing gardens of Iiew as such, and incorporating 
them with the botanic garden, thus adding fifteen more acres to the 
scientific portion of the grounds (seventy-five acres in all).” 
The gardens themselves are now so well known that it is unnecessary 
to refer to them in detail, for during the last ten years they have been 
visited by some millions of people, the total on some holidays rising to 
50,000 and 60,000 in one day. This popularity, considered in conjunction 
with the scientific and what may be termed the commercial work per¬ 
formed in the establishment, is evident proof that the efforts of those in 
charge to render it of national interest and importance are fully appre¬ 
ciated. There has for some time been a broadening of the system upon 
which the gardens are managed, and in regard to the culture of the large 
collections the advance has been great. In an establishment open to the 
public there are necessarily many difficulties to contend with, especially 
in the cultivation of the indoor plants : but it has long been reasonably 
thought that there was no substantial reason why, with the appliances 
and labour at command, the plants should n it be as well grown as in 
private gardens. In recent years considerable efforts have been made to 
effect this, in which the Director and Assistant Director have been ably 
assisted by the Curator, Mr. John Smith, and a competent staff. The 
result is seen now in the generally satisfactory condition of the collec¬ 
tions, and certainly never in the history of the gardens have the plants 
been more healthy. 
The extension of the collection has also received careful attention, 
and by exchange or purchase, large numbers have been added in the past 
few years. A well-judged liberality in sending the foremen of the prin¬ 
cipal departments on tours to the leading botanic gardens and nur¬ 
series, both at home and on the Continent, has similarly resulted in 
important additions, which have increased the scientific interest of the 
gardens. Not the least of the matteis that have received the earnest 
consideration of the authorities has been the improvement of the young 
student gardeners, and every facility has been afforded them of gaining 
knowledge by means of numerous courses of lectures and an excellent 
library. 
FERNS—THEIR HISTORY AND HABITATS. 
[A Paper read before the Paxton Society by Mr. J. G. Newsham of Sheffield.] 
Possessing myself a strong desire to become fully acquainted 
with the habits, peculiarities, and the natural abode of Ferns, it 
has also always been a source of pleasure to reveal to others that 
which I have gleaned. 1 propose to give in a brief form the 
result of my observations hearing upon the various strata and 
soils which are most productive of Ferns. At the same time, I 
shall endeavour to convey the observations made by others, who, 
from their more extended travels and perhaps closer investigation, 
have a higher claim to authority upon the subject. 
It may not be generally known that Ferns claim precedence 
m the history of this earth over other plants which adorn our 
greenhouses and stoves, except the Pines and Palms. They are 
the oldest inhabitants of the earth, the first productions of the 
rocks upon which we live. To man we are not indebted for their 
history, but to the rocks themselves. They give us indisputable 
proof of the existence of Ferns long before man existed to 
cultivate or even to admire them. I may be pardoned, I think, 
if I digress a little by referring to their geological history. 
1 shall therefore carry you back to that period in the pre- 
adami e ages, which most geologists term the fourth day’s work 
of the Mosaic account of the creation. This period has 
undoubtedly been the great Fern era. Writers tell us that 
tj 11 ^ ^at time was thickly mantled with Ferns, Pines, 
and Palms, and from the present existing evidences there can be 
no doubt that it was a period of luxuriance in foliage, which all 
| lovers of Ferns might well wish to have beheld. It was a period 
of a warm moist atmosphere, a period upon which only a very 
moderated light was shed upon the earth. The soil, if soil it 
could be called, was simply composed of sandy gritty substances, 
which through the action of the waters had been lodged in crevices 
and fissures of rocks, or washed into the valleys. No wonder, 
then, that with all these advantages Ferns flourished. And that 
they did'flourish, and for a long period too, is abundantly pr-oved 
by the productions of the various strata which have been from 
time to time revealed. 
Those who have given their attention, casually or otherwise, 
to this pleasant study of the time when the earth was under¬ 
going the many various changes to which it has been subjected 
in order to complete it for man’s abode must have been struck 
with amazement at the rapid and continual growth of vegetation 
which is supposed to have eventually formed our present coal 
measures. Immediately above the coal seams we find innumerable 
specimens of Fern fossils. Many of them are very conspicuously 
imprinted upon the hard-pressed gritty substances, which through 
lapse of time have been converted into a kind of slatey coal. To 
Fern lovers this is a notable page in the great book of Nature. 
Dr. Buckland beheld in the coal mines of Prague “ festoons of 
graceful foliage flung in wild profusion over every part of the 
walls of the mines; scaly stems and bending branches, with their 
delicate foliage were spread out in coal black hues on the light 
ground of the hardened lime muds. The vegetable forms of 
extinct trees, thus preserved in beauteous profusion, have become 
the faithful historians of times long gone by, their delicate 
leaves and fine fronds laid out as distinctly as a botanist could 
spread out his treasured plants on a sheet of paper.” Although 
we consider our present Ferns beautiful and delicate in form, 
yet they will not bear comparison with the Ferns of the pre- 
adamite ages. The Tree Ferns of New Zealand, Brazil, Norfolk 
Island, and other parts are the only representatives of the 
gorgeous fronds and tall trunks of the ancient Fern period. 
There is little doubt that myriads of Ferns grew then the like of 
which we do not now possess. It may be, perhaps, of some 
interest to you to observe what rooks were then most productive 
of Ferns, and the comparison they bear with the rocks of our 
present time. In the primary rocks not a vestige of vegetable 
life can be traced, owing no doubt to the want of moisture at 
that time. Neither do we find at the present time that granite 
and mica slate produce any speciality. Upon these formations 
we find but few plants which appear to be natives of these 
strata, and upon which I shall remark shortly. We find in the 
recesses of earth various Ferns of the common order growing 
pirofusely in these districts, but they are mainly those Ferns 
which owe their existence to the accumulations of rich vegetable 
soil. 
In the transition rocks we do find traces of extinct Ferns. 
The yellow sandstone, and red sandst ne, and grey fossil sand¬ 
stone all contain evidences of vegetable life. Visit our sandstone 
districts at the present time and you will find luxurious growth, 
especially upon the old red sandstone. It is upon this formation 
that our stoutest Polystichums and most robust Athyriums are 
found. Take, for example, Heath’s Fern Paradise, Devonshire. 
Perhaps in no other county do we find its equal. Admitting the 
fact that the climate may have a great influence upon this 
southern extremity of the British Isles over other sandstone 
districts, still it testifies to the rich production of the strata 
under favourable circumstances. In fact, I may almost affirm 
that by far the greater portion of our Ferns of tall and vigorous 
growth at the present time are the inhabitants of those districts 
which abound in sandstone. 
In the mountain limestone we have three layers or beds. It 
is the topmost layer in the coal measures that we find such a 
large variety of fossil Perns. These are mainly Perns of less 
vigorous growth, but although unassuming in their dimensions 
and of humbler habit, they were ii finitely superior in texture, 
design, and variety. The Ferns we find upon our calcareous 
districts take very much after those found buried in the moun¬ 
tain limestone, except in variety. Small, yet neat and finely 
designed, they are more ornamental than their brethren of the 
sandstone i - anges. 
The secondary rocks, those known as the Wealden group, 
furnish us with the remains of Ferns of gigantic dimensions. 
Ferns which inhabited the then marshy lands and swamps, Ferns 
which must have assumed the proportions of trees of great 
height; a very large number of Palms, w hich for size would not 
be credited at the present time were it not for the remains which 
have been discovered and which speak for themselves. Our 
Osmunda is but a nute compared with its forefathers. Our 
present male and female Marsh Ferns are very poor representa¬ 
tives of these early inhabitants of boggy lands. A very consider- 
