144 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
November 24. 
traps, or any other, well baited. I have prevented their 
depredations by placing chopped Furze over the bulbs, 
so that when they thrust their little noses into the 
ground in search of the roots the prickles of the furze 
scratched and scared them effectually. I have saved 
| many a crop of garden peas by this method. 
These bulbs are subject also to a disease; and, I am 
sorry to say, I could never discover either the cause or 
the remedy. It is quite as fatal in its effects as the 
Potato murrain, but it is not the same disease, for the 
I Potato rots with a superfluity of moisture in it, but the 
; Gladiolus becomes dry and powdery. I have had 
Crocuses and other solid bulbs suffer from the same dis¬ 
ease. In the spring/ the tops of these diseased bulbs 
often make an attempt to grow and send up leaves, 
| but for want of roots, which these diseased bulbs 
never emit, the leaves turn yellow and die. I am not 
! aware this disease is infectious, but for fear it should be, 
i I always remove the diseased bulbs as soon as discovered, 
1 and also the soil in immediate contact with them. 
T. Appleby. 
STOVE FERNS. 
(Continued from page 123 .) 
CIBOTIUM. 
One of the many genera taken from Aspidium; and 
so named from Kebotion, a little box or chest, the form 
of the seed-vessel. 
C. Barometz (The Scythian Lamb Fern).—A strong¬ 
growing Cochin-China Fern, the rootstock of which is 
short and thick, and covered with long brownish hairs, 
giving it an animal-like appearance; hence its fabulous 
1 name. The fronds are bipinnate; the lowest pinnae are 
j long, and gradually shorten upwards. They grow erect, 
and often reach ten feet in length. Each leaf has a stem, 
and the seed-cases are seated near the base of the leaf. 
When fully grown, every frond is fertile, that is, bears 
seed. It is a handsome Fern; but to grow it well 
requires a large stove. Easily increased by division. 1 
have cultivated it for many years, but was nover able 
to produce the lamb-like appearance of the rhizoma. 
C. Soheidei (Scheides). — A Mexican Fern, of 
great beauty, easily -distinguished from the preceding 
species, by the stems, as well as the rhizoma, being 
covered with the long woolly brown hairs, and by the 
tree-like rhizoma, which, in cultivation, has reached 
three feet high. Upon this rootstock the fronds are 
placed, and are six or eight feet long, rather drooping, 
bipinnate; the seed-cases are produced on the lower 
part of the pinnae, and number from three to six on the 
margins of the leaves so situated. It must be propa- 
I gated by seed, as the rhizoma does not creep. 
CYATHEA. 
A tall-growing genus of Ferns, allied to Dicksonia. 
In their native habitats some of this species become 
trees fifty feet high, with a head of fronds at the top, 
giving them a Palm-like appearance. The species in 
cultivation have been lately introduced into British 
gardens, and consequently are rare. 
0. arborea (Tree-like).—In Jamaica, its native place, 
this species is truly a treeFern. The fronds are tripinnate, 
from six to eight feet long, standing on an erect rhi¬ 
zoma ; they are very stiff, leathery, and of a dull 
green, with scales on the underside of the leaves. The 
stems are almost black, and have thorns on them. The 
seed-vessels are cup-shaped, with the seeds standing 
above the edge, looking, when magnified, very like an 
acorn enclosed in its cup. As the rhizoma does not 
creep they must be increased by seed. Being such a 
large hern, its culture should not be attempted except¬ 
ing where there is plenty of room. 
C. dealbata (Powdered).—A New Zealand tree Fern, 
of great beauty. A friend of mine sent me, some years 
ago, a quantity of spores of this fine Fern; but 
whether the seed had perished on the voyage, or been 
shaken out of the cases and lost, I could never get one 
to make its appearance. At Kew there is a fine speci¬ 
men, imported alive, and it is now nearly three feet 
high. I have seen dead stems of it nearly as thick as 
a man’s body, and upwards of ten feet high. It is said, 
in our wars with the natives, these Fern stems served 
the savages as skulking places, from whence many a 
deadly arrow has been shot at the unsuspecting 
Briton. The fronds are very beautiful, of a bluish- 
green on the upper surface, and richly powdered with 
white underneath. They are six or seven feet long, 
jointed, and placed on the top of the rhizoma. Stems 
covered with scales. Requires a roomy stove, and is 
increased by seeds. 
C. elegans (Elegant).—A tree Fern, from Jamaica, ! 
and perhaps the handsomest in cultivation. The Kew 
plant is eight feet high in the stem, with some fronds 
ten feet long ; they are thrice pinnated, the lowest 
pinn/e spreading considerably, and gradually growing 
less upwards. The frond stems are densely covered with 
almost white scales, which adds greatly to its beauty. 
Requires plenty of space to show itself, and can only 
be increased by seed. 
C. patens (Spreading).—A Jamaica Fern, of great 
attractions. The fronds are slender, gracefully spread¬ 
ing out and drooping. They are like the whole genus, 
thrice cut or pinnated, and are of a beautiful yellowish- 
green. The rhizoma is the most slender of all the 
cultivated species, growing three feet high. Upon it 
the fronds are placed, spreading out to six or eight feet 
long. The stems are light brown, covered with prickly 
scales. This fine Fern is well worthy of cultivation 
where there is room for it to expand. There are several 
other species of this fine tribe of Ferns described but 
not yet introduced. 
CYRTOGONIUM. 
From Kyrtos, curved, and gonu. A genus of Ferns, 
separated, by Mr. Smith, of Kew, from Acrostichum. 
The small veins on the leaves are singularly and sud¬ 
denly bent or angled, like the knee of the human frame. 
C. crispatulum (Spreading - crested).—A handsome 
Fern, from Ceylon. Fronds pinnate, inclining to be 
erect, crenate or cut at the margin, of the deepest green. 
There are barren, and fertile, or seed-bearing leaves, the 
latter shorter than the former. On the barren fronds 
there are, in the hollow of the scollops, a short thorny 
substance, the stems have some scales, and the rhizoma 
creeps ; hence, it is easily increased by division. The 
whole plant seldom exceeds two feet in height; hence, 
it may be grown in a moderate-sized stove. 
C. flaggeliforme (Whip-shaped).—An East Indian 
Fern, of the easiest culture. T have cultivated it for 
years, in small pots, in the deepest shade of the stove. 
It is easily known by the leaf becoming narrower to- l 
wards the end, in the same way as the whip, but more , 
suddenly, and by its producing at the end a knob or 
knot, which, if not taken off, will soon send out leaves, 
and, finally, roots ; by these it may be readily increased. 
C. repandum (Spreading).—A lately-introduced Fern, 
from Java. It also produces living plants on the leaves, j 
The difference, or distinguishing mark, of the species, is j 
the spreading habit of the barren fronds, and the leaves 
of the fertile frond being erect, easily grown, and in¬ 
creased by the living plants on the leaves being taken 
off, potted, and kept in the shade till fully established. 
T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
