October 13. THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
tlie plants in a close, moist atmosphere, at one end of a 
greenhouse; or, whatis better still, in a cold pit, where,by 
watering the floor, syringing over head night and morn- ' 
ing, and keeping rather close, a moist atmosphere may ! 
be obtained without more shading than can be done 
without, and a temperature of from 55° to (15° at night, 
and from 75° to 85° during the day. In the middle 
of very hot days a slight shading will be necessary. 
The moist atmosphere, and the syringing, will help 
to keep its greatest enemy, the red spider, at a distance. 
From the middle of August, on to the middle of October, 
more air should be given ; the syringe be discontinued 
by degrees; the sashes left oft' night and morning at 
first, and altogether during the day in fine weather, in 
September; everything being done to harden the wood, \ 
and to effect this, giving no more water even at the root I 
than is necessary. By the middle of October, the plants 
should have an open airy place in the greenhouse; and 
during the winter, an average temperature of from 40° 
to 45° at night will answer. When it is desired to bloom 
a plant early in summer, the points of the shoots should 
be nipped in the middle of September, and this will 
swell the buds at their base. By the end of March, these 
shoots should be well primed back, if the plants shortly 
afterwards can obtain a moist atmosphere, and a tempera¬ 
ture of from 55° to (i0° at night, and a proportionate rise 
of from 10° to 15° dui-ing the day, from sunshine. 
Sprinkling the plant over head should also be frequently 
resorted to, to cause the buds to break freely. Weak 
shoots should then be thinned out, and a suitable 
number of those somewhat equal in strength selected. 
When these are from three to six inches in length, more 
air gradually should be given them; and when they 
show bloom, they should bo moved to a drier atmosphere 
in the greenhouse. Even when there, however, they 
like a closer place, and freer from cold draughts, than 
would suit many other hard-wooded plants. A distance 
from the ventilator, a coolish temperature, a moistish 
atmosphere, such as that obtained by placing damp 
moss in the vicinity of the pot, and an almost unshaded 
exposure to light, are the circumstances for continuing 
the bloom, and having it bright. In watering, pure solt 
water will in general bo best; but weak manure- 
waterings may be given once or twice a week from the 
time the young shoots, after pruning back, are from three 
to six inches in length, until thcbloomingis nearly over. 
During flowering, the syringing should be changed in 
an evening into what was explained under the term 
dusting, and that will keep the red spider at a safe dis¬ 
tance. If not it must be steamed, with fumes from a 
hot-water plate, or syringed with the sulphur in water; 
the latter, however, at the risk of spoiling the look of 
the plant for some time. 
I have not grown this beautiful plant for some time, 
but years ago, I found these minutiae necessary to 
success, and that the neglect of any of them was fol¬ 
lowed by a corresponding disappointment. I have tried 
resting the plant a little after blooming, and then 
pruning it in the beginning of autumn, keeping it at 
one time in a cool greenhouse, and in another in a 
medium house temperature during the winter; but in 
neither case did the plant do so well as when grown in 
summer, ripened in autumn, rested in a cool temperature 
in winter, and pruned and then started with extra heat 
in spring. R. Fish. 
STOVE FERNS. 
Ix giving a list of Stove Ferns, I shall confine myself 
to such as can be readily procured, easily cultivated, 
and are of considerable beauty—three points of great im¬ 
portance to cultivators generally. The task is rather a 
heavy one, because there have been lately great altera¬ 
tions made in the names of Ferns, by Mr. Smith, the 
talented and learned sub-curator of the Royal Gardens 
at Kew. As, however, these names have now the 
sanction of Sir William Hooker, I think they ought to 
be followed by every grower of these charming plants. 
I shall arrange them alphabetically, as being more easy 
of reference, adding occasional hints of such peculiar 
cultivation as each species may require. 
Acliostichuji auuf.um.—A tree Fern of considerable 
size, growing from eight to ten feet high, consequently 
requiring a large stove to grow it in. The leaves 
bearing seed are erect, with pinnate, or leaflet side leaves. 
Two or three of the lower side leaves are often barren. 
The barren leaves, or fronds, are six feet long, bending 
downwards, with thin, light green, side leaflets, or 
pinnae. The leaves stand upon the top of an erect 
stem. To grow it well, pot it in turfy loam and sand, 
kept very moist, and give a heat in summer of 80°. It 
is a noble species. 
Adiantom. —The Adiantums are a large family of the 
most ornamental and best known, perhaps, of any 
genus of Ferns. We shall find them growing in the 
stove, the greenhouse, and the open air, though they 
will all bear the stove, and flourish well in it, providing 
the more hardy ones have a short season of rest. They 
may generally be known by their black stems and 
delicate foliage, though some of the species of Pteris 
have similar stems. 
Aoiantum Bbasii.tensis (Brazilian). — A beautiful 
Fern, growing a foot or more high. The fronds are 
twice pinnated, that is, the main stem sends out side 
leaves, and these again send out lesser side leaves, 
hence they are termed bipinnate, (bis twice, and pinna 
winged). The stems are slightly hairy. Require the 
stove heat, and soil of an open texture. It is evergreen. 
A. caudatum (Tailed).—A very neat Indian Fern, 
with a long process at the end of the leaf, which forms 
a kind of bulb, and roots readily when it touches the 
soil. It is a pinnated Fern, each frond growing a foot 
or more long. Is very ornamental when grown in a 
small ornamental basket. 
A. crtstatum (Crested) —A native of Jamaica. Bi¬ 
pinnate ; each frond growing nearly a foot long, and 
hanging downward, rendering it suitable for basket 
culture. 
A. cuitVATim (Curved-leaved).—From Brazil. The 
fronds are pedate, that is, have the appearance of a 
bird’s foot, each pinnated leaf spreading out in that 
form from a common centre. A very elegant, well- 
known Fern, growing sometimes two feet high; requires 
plenty of pot-room, and a free open compost to grow in. 
It is evergreen. 
A. cuneatum (Wedge-shaped).—Native of Brazil. 
May be readily known by its wedge-shaped leaves. 
Very beautiful and plentiful, and easily increased by 
division. This Fern is much used in Covent Garden 
for bouquets, to mix with and set off, by its lively green 
leaves and delicate black-polished stems, the bright- 
coloured flowers. 
A. concinnom (Neat).—From the West Indies. This 
affords an example of a twice-pinnated leaf. They 
bend gracefully downwards, and grow, when well culti¬ 
vated, two feet long. I have grown this Fern in a pot 
ten inches in diameter, in light compost, two feet through, 
and nearly three l'eet high. It is very elegant, and 
easily increased by division. 
A. Fovianuji (Mr. Foy’s).—Native of the West Indies. 
Sometimes called A. intermedium. It may be known 
by the fertile or seed-bearing fronds growing erect, and 
the barren ones drooping or bending downwards. When 
young, the leaves have a reddish-brown appearance. 
The leaves are bipinnate, growing, with good culture, 
two feet high. The stems are hairy. It is known in 
gardens as A. Rhomboidium. 
