888 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ May 8, 1830. 
poses of 1000 c<ases per annum, which, at the present increased value of 
bulbs, will represent at the least £10,000, possibly £15,000. Accepting 
the former figure, and computing the profit at the very moderate rate 
of 10 per cent, we have, or rather he has, an income of £1000 from 
forty to fifty acres of land. Not satisfied with the present prosperous 
condition of the bulb industry, the growers propose to further increase 
the price of their bulbs this season. The demand last year was excep¬ 
tionally good, and they anticipate another heavy sale this year, hence 
on the principle of making hay while the sun shines they will augment 
the prices still further. Eetribution, however, is inevitable, for sooner 
or later a reaction must come. 
It is not easy to turn over such a tender morsel as the result of the 
little calculation given above without asking oneself if some portion at 
least of the enormous number of bulbs imported by this country could 
not be grown at home. This subject is one of such importance that it 
could not be adequately dealt with in the few lines left at my disposal 
in the present article. I will, therefore, leave it, with other matters, 
for a future paper, premising that we are not without a gleam of hope. 
—W. P. Weight. 
(To be contiDued.) 
FERNS AND FERNERIES. 
[Prize essay l)y Mr. E. Booker, Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association.] 
(^Continued from 2 )age 360.) 
Filmy Ferys. —These Ferns are perhaps amongst the most beautifn 
and interesting of the whole family. In consequence of their requiring 
a closer and moister atmosphere than can be supplied under ordinary 
circumstances in the stove or greenhouse, they must be grown in 
frames, bellglasses, or Wardian cases, and as these cases are now made 
in so many handsome designs, one of them properly filled with a good 
variety of Filmy Ferns is no disgrace to the most elegant dining or 
drawing-room. Care must be exercised in selecting a case to see that 
the bottom is perfectly lined and sound, and the outlet for the water 
perfect. On the bottom of the case place plenty of thoroughly clean 
broken crocks, on these place a thin layer of moss or sphagnum to 
prevent the soil washing down and choking the drainage. The drainage 
is a very important point in the cultivation of Ferns in cases. The 
compost should be free and open, consisting of good fibrous peat, a small 
quantity of loam, leaf soil, and sand; this should be sifted and the finer 
particles used for other purposes. Some broken charcoal, sandstone, 
or pumice stone should be well mixed with the soil after it is sifted. 
The object of such an open compost is to secure a free passage for 
water through the whole body of soil, and the free admission of air to 
the roots of the plants. Where such a compost is used it will be found 
the best roots are those which lie in the crevices between the pieces of 
compost. The size of the case must determine the quantity, and what 
size Ferns it will be necessary to plant. Such as the Todeas, especially 
Todea superba and T. pellucida, should be planted in pieces of tree 
stems, and raised a little above the level of the soil, so that their hand¬ 
some graceful fronds may be seen to advantage. The groundwork may 
be made up with Hymenophyllum tunbridgense, H. Wilsoni, H. 
demissum nitidum, and a few of the Trichomanes, such as T. radicans 
(Rillarney Fern), T. r. dilatatum, T. trichoideum, and T. reniforme ; 
the two latter varieties should by all means have a place found for them. 
The rhizomes will soon spread rapidly on the surface, and may then be 
pegged to the Fern stems, and they will grow in this position luxuriantly, 
covering the stem with their exceedingly handsome fronds. When all 
is planted water carefully to settle the whole of the plants. Keep them 
as cool as possible, and shade from bright sunshine. When fairly estab¬ 
lished they must, the same as other Ferns, have water when dry, and it 
will greatly benefit them if occasionally syringed during the hot dry 
weather, as most cases are not so completely air tight as to prevent the 
rapid evaporation of the moisture. 
If the cultural details are carefully attended to I am of opinion that 
in these cases Ferns will not require replanting so often as every two 
years, as some persons advocate, for when replanting is done it destroys 
the chance of any seedlings appearing that might have happened had it 
not been disturbed. What can be more interesting than watching the 
little seedlings develop, and to discover to what species they belong ? 
If from necessity replanting must be done, then previous to disturbing 
the Ferns have a proper supply of clean crocks and compost as before 
mentioned, so that when the Ferns are lifted everything should be at 
hand to plant them again as quickly as possible. 
Other Ferns Suitable for'Cases, —There are several varieties 
of Ferns exceedingly handsome and less expensive than Filmy Ferns 
that may be grown in cases. Those I shall mention I have found to do 
well, and proved to be quite interesting and beautiful. Asplenium 
viviparum if planted in a piece of tree Fern will make an excellent 
plant for the centre, with the dwarf varieties of Aspleniums to help 
form the groundwork. Such as A. fontanum, G inches in height, 
A. obtusilobum are also suitable. The last is a dwarf handsome creeping 
Fern, throwing out a number of runners, which if pegged down will 
readily root and produce plants, which continue the process. A few 
varieties of the Doodias are also suitable for this purpose. The best are 
D. caudata, C inches ; D. caudata var. confluens, 6 inches ; and D. lunu- 
lata, 12 inches. A beautiful and useful Fern for cases may be found in 
the Anapeltis, forming a pleasing contrast to the others mentioned. 
A. nitida, a free growing creeper, rhizomes silvery white, fronds small, 
undivided, light green. The rhizomes of this species should be pegged 
to the Fern stems, and will look very pretty. A. lycopodioides, 
3 inches, and A. squamulosa, 3 inches, will grow very freel.y, and as they 
have small surface rhizomes they will soon spread and cover the whole 
surface. 
Perns foe Rooms. —Ferns are favourites with cottagers, and con¬ 
sequently have often to be grown in the ordinary room of a dwelling 
house, but through the dryness of the atmosphere they cannot possibly 
grow so well as when in a damper place. They are useful for table 
decoration, also for standing in the window, where they grow better and 
live longer than any flowering plant that can be obtained. Care should 
be taken that they are not introduced in a soft immature state of 
growth from a house where they have been subject to a warm moist 
atmosphere. Such plants will prove disappointing. They must be 
regularly supplied with water, the fronds also may be gently sponged 
or syringed with clear tepid water to remove the dust which accumulates 
on them. The same may be said of these as of those grown in more 
favourable positions—only water when requisite, then give plenty, using 
water as warm as the room in which the plants are growing. If these 
matters are attended to they will grow, and do much towards enlivening 
and beautifying the room. The following varieties are perhaps amongst 
the best for this purpose :—AdiaMtum Capillus-Veneris, this inay be 
placed in a basket and hung in the window ; Asplenium bulbiferum, 
A. cicutarium, A. australasicum, Davallia canariensis (Hare’s Foot), 
Lastrea aristata, L. a. variegata, Lygodium scandens, Pteris argyrea, 
P. serrulata, P. serrulata cristata, P. tremula, Scolopendrium vulgare, 
and S. vulgare crispum. 
The Hardy Fernery. —It would not be wise to conclude this essay 
without touching upon the hardy fernery. But it must be briefly, as 
this subject would, to do it justice, command one paper alone. If there 
is room in any garden in which we can make or construct an outdoor 
rockery, in which we can plant some of the exceedingly handsome species 
of hardy Ferns, if only a small one, I would say by all means have one, as 
nothing can give a greater charm to a garden of any size, especially 
when we consider that some of the hardy Ferns will grow in places 
in which the majority of other plants would surely die. The first 
conditions as to the site are, however, protection from wind and provision 
for shade, these being essential to the majority of Ferns. The mode of 
construction is entirely a matter of taste, fancy, and space. The materml 
for construction, where expense is not a primary object, should be the 
same as that recommended for the indoor rockery, namely, tufa. An 
excellent substitute may, however, be found in burrs from the brick 
kiln. These may be washed over with some cement and cowdung well 
mixed together with water, which will make an excellent imitation of 
stone. Elaborate and minute imitations of actual rock are rarely so 
effectively done that the illusion is perfect, and if really so, it is in part 
covered by the foliage when devoted to Ferns. The size must determine 
the mode of building, and whether we shall require large masses of stone 
or small. In building let each block recede instead of overhanging, 
beeause in this way the plants in the fissures receive the benefit of the 
rain or dew which falls, and this will be an advantage. 
Soil. —The soil for hardy Ferns should, as with other plants, be 
properly prepared. If peat, loam, leaf soil, and sand can be obtained, a 
mixture should be used, or peat may be used alone—it will well repay 
for its cost. If neither course be possible, mix a little of these in¬ 
gredients with some good garden soil, but for the small varieties of 
Ferns I recommend using a good compost. In any case, within doors 
or without, a rockery for Ferns should contain a good body of soil; if 
there is any stint there will be no prosperity. _ 
Planting. —This, as well as the construction, is a matter of indi¬ 
vidual taste or fancy. If the rockery is on a large scale, and large 
masses of it are presented to the eye at one view, either very large 
individual plants or a group of each of some of the largest kinds may be 
necessary to secure masses of foliage in character with the massive 
construction. In arranging the plants generally the evergreen and 
deciduous kinds should be so planted that when the foliage of the latter 
dies off for the winter there may still be abundant objects of interest 
throughout the whole. 
The seasons for planting a fernery are the spring and early summer 
months before the annual growth is far advanced, and the planting 
should be done carefully and firmly. They must be carefully attended 
to in watering, especially during hot dry weather. If they can either 
be syringed or watered with a hose in the evening of hot dry days it 
will do them good. A little practice will soon enable anyone interested 
in the matter to master the details of the cultivation of these plants in 
the garden. _ , r 
Selection, —In giving a selection I shall confine myself to a tew 
varieties that I have seen do well and give satisfaction : Allosorus 
crispus, Adiantum pedatum (deciduous), Asplenium Adiantum nigrum, 
A. marinum, Athyrium Filix-foemina (Lady Fern) and its handsome 
varieties—these are all deciduous ; Blechnum spicant, B. s. cristatum, 
Ceterach offleinarum, Lastrea mmula, L. grandiceps, L. Filix-mas (male 
li'ern) —these are strong robust evergreen Ferns and very handsome; 
Osmunda regalis (deciduous) requires plenty of water when growing; 
Polypodium vulgare and its beautiful varieties, Polystichum aculeatum, 
P. angulare, P. a. cristatum, P. a. grandiceps, P. lonchitis and Scolopen¬ 
drium vulgare, of this also there are some exceedingly handsome 
varieties. 
MARKET GARDENING IN THE SCILLY ISLANDS. 
It is a curious instance of the changes of agricultural conditions 
caused by foreign competition and the opening up of new sources of 
