December SI, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
587 
I now also thank Mr. Taylor for his very hearty welcome and for his 
useful hints. 
The allotment question has found a place in the Journal, and I have 
pleasure in stating that in this village we have some two dozen allotments, 
which give useful employment to a number of intelligent labourers ; but 
I have had several reliable statements made to me that there is very little 
profit attending it, if labour and everything is to be paid. Large allot¬ 
ments would be an evil, not only to the man but also to the employer.— 
Stephen Castle. 
FERNS—THEIR HISTORY AND HABITATS. 
[A Paper read before the Paxton Society by Mr. J. G. Neweham of Sheffield.] 
(Continued from page 565.) 
To give you a descriptive account of our British Ferns I 
should occupy a large space, and perhaps prove rather tedious. 
I have classified them into groups according to their strata. 
Each separate British species has its own birthplace, or supposed 
birthplace, and almost any of the authors on Ferns will give the 
place, date, name of the discoverer, and in fact the whole pedigree 
of the plant. I am not aware that any attempt has been 
hitherto made to arrange them into stratagorical groups—if I 
may be allowed to coin a word. In the first place it will be 
evident that the main features governing the localities which 
Ferns inhabit are moisture, shade, protection from cutting 
winds, and, generally speaking, drainage. There are exceptions 
to this rule, but the number of Ferns which can bear exposure, 
and of those which inhabit our bogs and marshy swamps, are so 
few that the exceptions in this case will prove the rule. The 
Ferns who dwell in high places and revel in the free mountain 
air, although apparently exposed, receive more protection from 
cutting winds than a casual observer would suppose. The deep 
fissures and crevices of rocks afford them a far greater amount 
of protection than they appear to possess. Moisture, too, is 
even highly essential to the well-being of these mountaineers. 
Amateurs and professionals, too, in many instances omit to 
observe that this is so, and consequently lose many plants of 
this class by the dryness of the atmosphere which surrounds 
them under cultivation. The heavy dews and passing clouds 
at high elevations are continually feeding such plants with an 
abundance of moisture. 
However, I am perfectly justified in asserting that the real 
home of our Ferns—speaking generally—is in localities abound¬ 
ing in moisture, places hidden from the scorching rays of the 
sun—the shaded mountain slope, the banks of the rushing 
stream, the quiet glen, the deep ravine, the tree-protected rocks, 
the hollowed caves by the sea, where the action of the waters 
have for centuries gone formed suitable homes for the growth 
of many of our maritime plants, and to these localities we must 
ever look for the most successful results in the gathering of 
Ferns. 
One accustomed to observe such habitats, and who has 
studiously observed the relations which exist between localities 
and varieties, would tell you that the strata all have their 
special productions. I know that the question has been raised 
by pteridologists as to whether the strata possess any virtue 
in producing or fostering the various species, and 1 do not 
for one moment wonder at this, because we invariably find 
Ferns which are said to be indigenous to one locality growing 
upon rocks or in localities of quite a different nature. For 
example, the Hart’s Tongue (Scolopendrium vulgare), the 
Brake Fern (Pteris aquilina), Lastrea dilatata, commonly 
known as the Male Fern, and a few others which 1 could name 
appear to have no specific home. The Scolopendrium vulgare 
is considered by some authors to be strictly a calcareous plant, 
hut how often is it found upon sandstone, ironstone, and other 
formations ? The same remarkable feature exists with reference 
to the common Polypody (Polypodium vulgare). This in my 
estimation maybe accounted for in various ways, more especially 
from the fact that the ripened spores have been wafted by winds 
or carried by streams, and have found lodging upon substances 
which have contributed to their propagation and development in 
the shape of rich soil favourably located. Spores when once 
ripened may be propagated in entirely different soils to that in 
which it originated, but the ultimate results fall far short in 
foreign substances. My opinion is that the natural home of a 
Fern is that in which it loves to sport. I have found Scolopen¬ 
drium vulgare growing upon a slate formation, but upon examin¬ 
ation of the locality for miles, in which I found it growing, no 
other traces of that Fern could be found. Consequently I con¬ 
sidered it in that case to be an alien, and I have in many in¬ 
stances noticed similar illustrations of our most conspicuous 
truants. 
1 give it upon my own authority, based upon my own con¬ 
victions, that a Fern in its native element must be one that is 
watered with that peculiar water which issues from the strata 
which originated its production. 
The most prolific habitats, referring to the strata, are lime¬ 
stone and red sandstone. Slate formation stands inevitably low 
in production, although in suitable soil, we find many varieties 
growing in a healthy condition. Of the forty-eight British 
Ferns, we have twenty-one rock Ferns, twenty-one which inhabit 
rich soils, and six marsh Ferns Out of the twenty-one who are 
indigenous to decayed vegetable matter 1 make a sub-division, 
and select thirteen of that number which are watered by the 
various strata. Thus we possess eight species only which are 
entirely at home in rich decayed leaf mould or loam. Of the 
twenty rock Ferns we have nine limestone, nine sandstone, and 
three slate. Of the thirteen which are to some extent dependant 
upon the strata, we have five on the lime and eight upon the 
sandstone formation. This in the total shows — Limestone, 
fourteen; sandstone, seventeen; slate, three; and marsh Ferns 
six; rich decayed vegetable matter, eight. Total, forty-eight. 
CULTURE OF FERNS. 
The popularity which Ferns command is attributable to their 
adaptability for almost all positions and situations. The treat¬ 
ment required by them is simple, and is within the power of all. 
They may be termed good-natured plants—plants designed to 
bear a large amount of neglect and cruel treatment before they 
actually succumb. Hence it is that we find them almost every- 
where; in the windows of our cottages, upon waste patches of 
ground, upon stony and ill-fed roc kwork, looking miserably poor, 
and to a practised eye positively famishing, or grown in cases 
and under bell shades, or in various other ways, affording small 
pleasure to the owner, even if a few delicate yet green fronds 
remain to indicate the beauty which they once possessed. Often 
have I looked upon such plants with sorrow and regret. It 
must be that the owners of such plants are not ignorant of their 
simplest requirements, but positively careless and indifferent. 
Then, again, we often find Ferns growing under quite different 
circumstances, having all the care and attention which such 
persons can bestow, perfectly clean and tastefully arranged, 
yet in poor health, and in this weakly condition they exist for 
long periods, affording but little satisfaction. We require to 
have a love for the plants we grow, and unless this can be 
done it would be well to abandon the attempt. Let me ask all 
who may have a desire to follow the cultivation of Ferns to re¬ 
member that old proverb, or maxim “ Whatever thine hand 
findeth to do, do it with thy might.” 
We see many methods adopted, some in baskets suspended 
in windows, others in old walls, others on rockwork in the open 
air, or in greenhouses, vineries, or ferneries specially constructed, 
boxes on window sills, while by far the greater majority of 
amateur growers prefer the bell shade or Wardian case. Taking 
all these methods into account, they may be classified as Ferns 
protected and unprotected. I will endeavour to deal with both, 
and so far as my own experience b ds me, render such assistance 
as 1 am able- Dealing first with Ferns (unprotected—that is, grown 
in the open air, it will be quite obvious that in removing Ferns 
fi’om their natural home, and bringing them under the hand of 
a cultivator, many dangers will be encountered which may be 
surmounted. Two of the main features to be observed for an 
outdoor fernery are position and formation. That Ferns love 
shade is au acknowledged fact. They will, it is true, for a time 
exist under exposure, yet under such circumstances they are 
dwarfed, and never even give a glimpse of their bright and 
beautiful nature, being devoid of all interest, robbed of their 
charms, and the grower cheated of his expected pleasure. Let 
the fernery most certainly have the best protection from the 
scorching rays of the sun, and from cut'ing or drying .winds. 
B >th are equally destructive to root and branch alike, drying up 
the former and robbing the latter of its natural gracefulness ana 
colour. By a due observance of the main or essential habits of 
the Ferns you wish to grow, failure may be easily prevented. 
(To be continued.) 
CANKER IN FRUIT TREES. 
The discussion on the above subjeet must be interesting to all growers 
of fruit, especially those who earn their living by so doing, and any dis¬ 
coveries of the cause of this mysterious disease are most welcome, espe¬ 
cially if they afford a prospect of cure. The directions sometimes given 
for curing the disease, like those given for planting fruit trees, although, 
no doubt, applicable on a small scale, must often cause a smile on the 
face of those who grow for market, as following them would simply mean 
mination. 
I have some young Fear trees which developed canker after a severe 
winter made fresh growth after a hot summer (the cankered part being 
