November 3. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
and varieties may be successfully planted till Christinas. 
By late-blooming, I mean the Gladiolus psittacinus, and 
the hybrids originated from that species. Draw drills 
across the bed three or four inches deep, and six inches 
apart; plant the bulbs in the drills, the smaller varieties 
at four inches distance from each other, and the larger- 
growing ones, such as Gandarensis, six inches. As 
these bulbs aro rather flat ones, the drills may be levelled 
down with a garden rake, the tines of which should be 
rather distant, so as to leave the surface rather rough. 
If it is made very fine and smooth the heavy rains will 
cause the surface to become cakey and hard, and then the 
rains will run off into the walks. In the spring, just 
after the plants make their appearance, stir the surface 
gently with a small three-pronged fork, breaking the 
cakes on the top, should there be any. The only after- 
management is to place neat sticks to each plant, tying j 
the flower-stems to them as they grow, to prevent the i 
wind from twisting them off, which they are very liable | 
to do if left without sticks. Should the weather in spring 
prove dry, a liberal watering will be necessary, and 
the plants should be freely syringed, also, in dry weather, 
to keep down the red spider. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
STOVE FERNS. 
(Continued from page 03.) 
Blechnum intermedium (Intermediate).—A pretty 
dwarf Brazilian Fern, easily cultivated, and suitable 
for small bouses. It only attains six or eight inches in 
height even when well-grown. The fronds are pinnate, 
but only have two pair of pinnae ; the end one is about 
four inches long. The steins are slightly coloured with 
red, which adds greatly to their beauty. 
B. lanceola (Small Lance-beaded).—This is also a 
Brazilian dwarf Fern, growing only six inches long. 
The fronds are simple—that is, with only one entire 
leaf of a deep dark green. It has, also, the peculiarity ! 
of having all the fronds, when fully grown, seed-bearing, ! 
or fertile. It is easily grown and increased by division. 
B. occidentai.e (Western).—From the West Indies 
and Brazil. Very similar to B. trianjulare, but may be 
distinguished from that species by the terminal leal 
having spines on the margin, and the foliage being of 
a light green. It is pinnated, and the pinnae are 
usually opposite, whereas those ot triangidare are alter- , 
nate. The fronds are nearly afoot long. Easily increased j 
by its creeping rhizoma. 
B. serrui.atdm (Saw-leaved).—Native of Mauritius. 
A rather tall species; the fronds grow two feet long. 
They are pinnate, with a fleshy saw-like margin to each 
leaf, or pinme; the rhizoma is peculiarly lengthened 
out, and by dividing it the plant may be increased 
easily. It is a very elegant Fern, but rather scarce. 
Cali.ipteius. — Derived from halos , beautiful, and 
pteris, a Fern. A small genus, separated from Dipla- 
zium —its small veins, or venules, being regularly pin¬ 
nated, or branched off from the large vein or midrib 
like a herring-bone. It is one of Mr. J. Smith s new 
genera. 
C. Escui.ENTUM (Eatable).—This ornamental Ceylon 
Fern has been introduced lately (1845), and is a strong¬ 
growing species, the fronds attaining from three to four 
feet long. They are twice pinnated, and the pinnae, or 
real leaves, aro lance-shaped, with a deeply-cut margin. 
The frond stems are thorny, placed upon a thick creep¬ 
ing rootstock, which is the eatable part when peeled 
and stewed. It is increased by division, and requires 
plenty of pot room, and to be frequently syringed over¬ 
head. 
j C. Malabarica (Malabar).—Native of various parts 
of the East Indies. This is the well-known, amongst 
Fern cultivators, Diplazium Seramporcnse. It may be 
readily distinguished from the preceding species by the 
fronds being pubescent, or covered with a woolly sub¬ 
stance, and by the stems of the fronds being deeply 
channelled. It is a large free-growing Fern, easily 
increased by seed coming up spontaneously on the soil 
of other plants, as well as its own, in a moist, hot stove. 
Campteiua biaurita (Twice-eared)—A West Indian 
genus and species, formed by Mr. J. Smith, from Pteris, 
because of its peculiar form of seed-vessels and its 
solitary veins. The fronds are of a long triangular form, 
often reaching four feet long. They are pinnate, and 
the pinnte are without footstalks, clothing the midrib 
completely. They are deeply cut in a comb-like manner, 
or, as it is technically termed, pectinate. The stem of the 
frond is very long, almost extending to half its length. 
It is a handsome Fern, requiring a rather large stove to 
show it to advantage. The rhizoma is erect and 
branched, and by cutting off a branch, and placing it 
under a handlight, or bell-glass, roots will soon be pro¬ 
duced, and a separate plant made. 
Cassibeera. —A commemorative name in honour of a 
German botanist, J. H. Cassibeer. A genus ot beautiful 
Ferns, formed by H. J. Smith, out of Pteris and 
Glieilanthes. Its principal character is founded upon the 
seed-cases being placed upon the top of tour veins, and 
have each a marginal edge. livery species is very 
beautiful, and of a rather dwarf habit, rendering them 
! suitable for small collections. 
G. cuneata (Wedge-shaped).—A bipinnated Mexican 
j Fern, of a neat habit; may be grown in a greenhouse, 
but thrives much finer in a moderate stove. The tronds 
grow ten inches high, and are of a light, pleasing green. 
It is easily known by its barren fronds being wedge- 
shaped, and its seed-bearing, or fertile fronds being ot a 
comb-shape, and narrower towards the stems. Easily 
increased by division. 
C. FARIN03A (Mealy).—Native of Nepaul. This is, 
perhaps, the handsomest Fern in cultivation ; the leaves 
are beautifully green on the upper surface, and, when 
turned upwards, may be seen to be of a pure white, or 
powdery appearance. The fronds in shape are triangular, 
with black stems. They are bipinnated, or twice divided, 
about a foot long, adhering to a short erect rhizoma. 
In the Royal Gardens, at Kew, the cultivator of Ferns is 
very successful in raising this truly beautiful Tern from 
seed. I have seen at one time there at least lilty seed¬ 
lings of it. It does not increase easily by division. 
As it is a moderate-sized Fern it ought to be in every 
collection 
C. hastata (Halbert-leaved).—A well-known, almost 
common, Fern, from the Cape of Good Hope, so freely 
does it propagate by self-sown seed. It is better known 
as Pteris hastata. Fronds bipinnate; pinnae heart- 
shaped, and gradually terminating in a point, or hastate 
shape. The edge of the leaves is scolloped out. The 
seed-vessels are narrow, running along the edge of the 
leaf. I had the pleasure, when at Fine-Apple ITace, ot 
raising a variety of this beautiful Fern, with much 
broader leaves, and 1 named it C. liastata latifolia. 
Very lately, I saw the same variety, from seed, in the 
garden of the Warden of the College at Winchester, 
raised by Mr. Weaver, who frequently edifies the readers 
of The Cottage Gardener by his truly practical papers. 
C. inframarginalis (Under-margined).—A beautiful 
Mexican Fern, nearly hardy enough for the greenhouse, 
only it loves a moist heat, which the greenhouse, when 
well-managed, never affords. It thrives much better in 
a close, moist heat in the- stove. Easily distinguished 
from its fellows by its slender, continuous, under-mar¬ 
gined seed-cases, or spores. It is a beautiful l'ern, but 
rather delicate. The fronds grow a foot long, and are 
bipinnate and tripinnate towards the base. The pinnae 
