104 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ May, 
tarn round, send out roots on tlie sliaded sides, and ascend in the usual way. 
Such rootlets act somewhat like feet, and are so numerous that fifty may be seen 
on an inch-length at the tip of a shoot mounting a wall or tree ; and thus, though 
Ivy is weak of itself, it adheres firmly, not only to rough walls and bark of trees, 
but to smooth surfaces, even to panes of window-glass. 
My attention was lately called to a new wall partly clad with Ivy on both 
sides. On close inspection, however, I found that some of the shoots had crept 
round one end, and grew horizontally under the coping, while all their off-shoots 
were followed without pointing downwards. This fact may afford a useful hint 
to those who wish to cover both sides of a wall with Ivy. The English or 
common sort is not only the prettiest, but the best for this purpose, because its 
grasp is more firm than that of the more favoured Irish Ivy, whose broader leaves 
and heavier shoots are often the cause of whole masses of it being brought to 
the ground in stormy weather. 
Old ruins are always associated with Ivy and owls. Gray had that in view 
when he wrote his far-famed “ Elegy.” But I leave the owl in his “ ivy-mantled 
tower,” to put this question,—Does Ivy keep walls dry or damp ? I say dry. 
One has only to observe the good preservation of old Ivy-covered walls to prove 
this. In fact. Ivy may be considered their keeper, long after the exposed parts 
are tottering in decay. — J. Wighton, Cossey Park. 
THE WHITLOOF CHICORY. 
GOOD deal has lately been written both for and against this esculent. In 
reference to it, I would merely suggest that if the root was plentiful—and 
there is no reason why it should not be, except for the demand—it might 
be made both interesting and useful to London people in this way. If 
five or six roots were put into a pot, with a little soil, cocoa-nut refuse, or saw¬ 
dust, and an empty pot was turned over it, the roots would push on any window or 
mantel-shelf. A few days would suffice to bring out sufficient leaf to fit it to be 
put on the table at breakfast or dinner, to be picked at. It is admitted by all to 
be a wholesome salad, and many will prefer the slight bitter flavour. Even the 
costermonger might have his salad by using up some of the Australian meat 
tins now so plentiful. On board ship they might have it for use half the year or 
more, and the next Polar Expedition might have it all the way to the Pole. 
In Belgium, where they take a good deal of care in its blanching, it is cooked 
as a vegetable.—J. Fleming, Cliveden., Maidenhead. 
ADIANTUM CAPILLUS-VENERIS CORNUBIENSE. 
-; 5 ^^E are indebted to our contemporary, the Gardener^ Chronicle., for the 
ty use of the accompanying woodcut of one of the most beautiful varieties 
of our native Maidenhair Fern which has been yet met with. Mr. 
Tyerman writes of it:—“ Amongst the many beautiful species and 
varieties of British Ferns the Maidenhair has no rival, and one might doubt if 
