162 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 1. 
much material to keep frost out. 1 generally raise and 
plant them thickly in shallow, narrow, wooden boxes, 
which are then placed in similar circumstances, or in 
an empty house, but with a south aspect, or one 
south-east or south-west, which thus permits more 
air to be given, and makes the plants more robust. 
Where there is a little room to spare in a cold 
pit or frame, a few old plants taken up with good balls, 
and planted in earth as close as they will stand, would 
furnish a nice supply of young shoots in March and 
April, which, as cuttings, would strike them in a slight 
hotbed in as many days as weeks would be required in 
autumn. Unless for this purpose, and the large speci¬ 
mens referred to above, this seems all the use that old 
Calceolaria plants are fitted for, as with half the attention, 
those tiny things struck in autumn will beat these older 
ones hollow for symmetry and beauty before the middle 
of July has arrived. 
Some other friends have asked me, why I place these 
cuttings on a north border at all in autumn; if I 
practice moving them to a more southern aspect in 
winter? Just for convenience sake, and the saving 
of labour, place them at once on a south aspect, say 
in the end of September; and suppose you have a 
sunny October, just calculate how many journeys you 
must have after them, to water, syringe, shade, and 
remove shade, all of which labour is reduced next 
to nothing when the cuttings are placed on a north 
aspect. In a good frame, they would, no doubt, stand 
there secure all the winter; but, for the reasons named, 
I prefer moving them about the end of November. 
Towards the beginning of April they are planted on a 
south or west border, with protection, and form nice 
stubby plants by the middle of May. R. Fisii. 
STOVE FERNS. 
(Continued from page 14-1.) 
CYRTOPHLEBIUM. 
A well-refined genus of Stove Ferns, formed, by Mr. 
J. Smith, from Polypodium. The name is derived from 
kyrtos, curved, and plielbs, a vein; all the principal 
veins being beautifully curved upwards, and the mid 
veins between them curved also. There are two seed- 
cases on each of the middle veins. These may be con¬ 
sidered the peculiar characters by which any of the 
species may bo known to beloug to the genus. 
C. angust[folium (Narrow-leaved).—A South Ameri¬ 
can Fern. Fronds long and narrow, growing thickly on a 
short rhizoma. Increased by division. 
C. decurrens (Decurrent).—A rather tall-growing, | 
handsome Fern, from the Brazils. The fronds grow i 
from two to three feet high, and are pinnated, each 
pinnae are from six to eight inches long, according to 
the size of the frond. As this Fern grows erect and 
compact, it may be grown in a moderate-sized stove. 
Readily increased by division. 
C. nitidum (Shining).—Of all the genus, this is the 
most upright and stiff-growing species. As it is a native 
of the West Indies it requires the heat of the stove. 
The fronds are often two feet long, and of a shining 
deep green colour, growing on a short, blunt, scaly, and 
creeping rhizoma. I have grown this Fern very suc¬ 
cessfully in a deep shade far from the roof, where it 
served to hide the naked stoms of several tall plants of 
Ficus elastica. The peculiar form of the veins is the 
least seen in this species. Increased slowly by division. 
C. phyllitidis (Hart’s-tougue).— A West Indian 
Eern, with simple fronds. Similar to the last-named 
species, but the leaves are narrower, rather longer, and 
undulate, or wavey, paler green, and more leathery, and 
1 it attains a larger magnitude. Requires frequently re- j 
potting, or it will become pot-bound. 1 have had a 
plant fill a pot densely with its feathery roots in a 
month’s time. If kept too long in the same pot it then i 
requires so much water to keep it from flagging that | 
the earth becomes sodden, and the fine roots perish; 
the plant becomes sickly, and the leaves lose their 
bright geeen, becoming of a yellowish hue. This is, 
indeed, the case with most Ferns, but more especially 
with the species belonging to this genus. 
C. repens (Creeping).—A West Indian Fern, with a 1 
creeping rhizoma running to a considerable distance. 
The fronds are simple, that is, not cut or pinnated; 
each leaf reclines, whereas all the others stand erect. 
In addition to this ample specific distinction, the upper 
side of the frond is covered with white scales. It is a ! 
proper plant to ornament rock-work, or to plant on a 
rustic block of wood, or even to place in a rustic basket. 
Increased very plentifully by its creeping rhizoma. 
DICTYOGLOSSUM. 
Divided from Acrostichum by Mr. Smith. The dis¬ 
tinguishing characteristic of the genus consists in the 
seed-cases being densely scattered over the under surface 
of the fertile fronds, excepting on the margin, which is 
clear of them. The name is derived from diktyon, a 
net, and glossa, a tongue, alluding to the veins crossing 
and rc-crossing each other, and the tongue-like shape of 
the fertile fronds. There is only one species, namely :— 
D. crinitum (Hairy).—A curious hairy Fern, from 
that rich island of Ferns, Jamaica. The fertile fronds 
are very distinct from the barren ones; besides being 
seed-bearing, they have a stem, or stipe, six or eight 
inches high, which, as well as the upper side of the 
frond, is covered with narrow black hairs. The leaf 
itself is oval, tapering to the point, whereas the barren 
frond is more broadly lanceolate. Both grow about a 
foot long, and eight inches broad at the widest part. 
The fronds are placed upon a stout, creeping rhizoma, 
j by which it may be increased, though but slowly, by 
division. Though a broad-leaved Fern, it grows within 
a small compass, and, therefore, is suitable for a mode¬ 
rate-sized stove. 
DIPLAZIUM. 
In this genus, formed by Professor Swartz, the culti¬ 
vator of Ferns will find several that he has known as 
Aspleniums. They are separated on account of the seed- 
cases being placed in pairs, with each back opposite, 
on a single small vein; lienee its characteristic name, 
from diplazo, to double. 
D. arborescens (Tree-like).-—A tall Fern from St. 
Helena, nearly hardy enough for the greenhouse. It 
grows beautifully planted-out in a shady part of a con¬ 
servatory. Fronds bipinnate; the lower pinme spread 
out, the upper ones gradually shortening in. They 
grow three feet long, and are of a pleasing light green. 
The leaves are cut at the edges. The stems are scaly, 
and the root-stock is erect. It must be increased by 
seeds. 
D. coarctatum (Close - pressed).—A handsome Bra¬ 
zilian Fern, reaching a foot-and-a half in height. The 
fronds are pinnate; the pinnae with a foot-stem to each; 
the leaves are cut at the edges, and thickly set, or close 
pressed on the stem. The root-stock is erect, conse¬ 
quently cannot be divided, and, therefore, the species 
must be increased by seeds. 
D. decussatum (Crossed).—This is the Asplenium 
decussatum of Wallicli. It is an East Indian species, 
rather coarso in habit, but a free grower. Fronds pin¬ 
nate, and covered with woolly-like hairs. It grows 
three feet high, and is easily increased by its creeping 
rhizoma. 
D. .IUGLANMfolium (Walnut-leaved).—This is a well- 
known South American Fern. Perhaps the largest 
