THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— September 23,1856. 449 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Day of 
Month. 
Day of 
Week. 
SEPTEMBER 23—29, 1856. 
Weather near London in 
1855. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R. & S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
23 
To 
The September Thorn Moth. 
30.250—30.229 
76—55 
E. 
_ 
50 a 5 
55 a 5 
morn. 
24 
7 
48 
267 
24 
W 
The flounced Thorn Moth. 
30.436—30.413 
65—42 
N.E. 
— 
51 
52 
0 5 
25 
8 
9 
268 
25 
Til 
Autumn Green Carpet Moth. 
30.430—30.305 
65—27 
E. 
— 
53 
50 
1 21 
26 
8 
29 
269 
26 
F 
Noctua Juniperata. 
30.247—30.091 
61—26 
E. 
— 
55 
48 
2 36 
27 
8 
50 
270 
27 
S 
Noctua simulata. 
29-972—29752 
74—51 
s.w. 
.01 
56 
46 
3 50 
28 
9 
10 
271 
28 
Sun 
19 Sunday after Trinity. 
29 . 669 — 29.416 
72—56 
s.w. 
.32 
58 
43 
4 59 
29 
9 
29 
272 
29 
M 
Michaelmas Day. 
30.024—29.538 
73-55 
S.E. 
.08 
60 
41 
sets. 
© 
9 
49 
273 
Meteorology op the Week. —At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 65.1°, and 45.2°, respectively. The greatest heat, 82°, occurred on the 25th, in 1832; and the lowest cold, 24°, on 
the 27 th, in 1828. During the period 93 days were fine, and on 103 rain fell. 
L ASTRAS'A RI’GIDA. 
This lias been called Aspidium rigidum, A. fragrans, and 
A. spinulosum, Lophodium rigidum, Polypodium rigidum , 
Polystichum rigidum, and P. strigosum. It is probable, 
also, that it has been confouuded with the Polypodium 
fragrans of Linnaeus. It is in English the Rigid Buckler 
Fern, Rigid Shield Fern, and Rigid Lastraea. 
Root thick, slowly-extending, tufted, with many long, 
wiry rootlets. Fronds numerous, in a tuft, varying, ac¬ 
cording to the situation, from half a foot to more than 
two feet in height. The stem of each frond is thick and 
stiff, or rigid, whence the specific name; its lower third is 
without leaflets, but thickly covered with reddish-brown, 
sharp-pointed, membranous scales; these scales extend 
up the leafleted part. General outline of the leafleted 
portion a lengthened irregular triangle. Upper leaflets 
alternate, but lower ones nearly opposite; their stalks 
much thickened where they join the stem; the leafits 
are oblong, blunt, variously but deeply lobed; lobes 
with from two to five sharp teeth, but not ending in a 
spine, with the branch of a lateral vein passing into 
each tooth. Fructification, mostly at the upper part of 
the frond, is at the first fork of each lateral vein of the 
leafit bearing it, and so forming a row on each side the 
mid vein ; running together (confluent) when ripe ; the 
cover (indusium) kidney-shaped, and attached to the lateral 
vein by a short stalk at the indentation of its kidney form, 
white at first, but afterwards leaden-coloured. This cover 
is beaded round with stalked globular glands. Similar 
glands are scattered over the frond’s whole surface, and 
they emitting a rather agreeable odour, have caused it 
sometimes to be called fragrans, and, consequently, to 
be confounded with L. oreopteris. 
It is almost confined to the limestone mountains of 
the north of Eugland, where it was first noticed as a 
British Fern by the Rev. Mr. Bree. He discovered it 
at Tngleborough, in 1815. Since then it has been found 
atWhornside; at Settle ; at Arnside Knot, near Silver- 
dale, in Westmoreland; and on White Scars, above 
Ingleborougb. A single plant was found near Bath, and 
another at Louth, in Ireland, but in such situations as 
to justify the opinion that, they were introductions. 
Mr. W. Reeve tells ns that this Fern is a free-growing 
species under cultivation, and is a very elegant ornament 
for the well-drained and shady parts of the rockery. It 
being found growing wild generally upon chalky soils, 
and oftentimes upon elevated positions, points out it is 
well adapted by its native habit for planting on artificial 
rockwork. It may be grown, also, successfully in shrub¬ 
beries and wildernesses, where a thorough drainage 
can be procured, and also shade, in which it delights, 
although it will bear exposure, but the beauty of the 
plant is then lost. It will also succeed well under pot- 
culture, and to thrive it should have a well-drained soil, 
composed of turfy peat two parts, and one part sand or 
limestone broken into small pieces, and a iree admix¬ 
ture of silver sand; old mortar, broken small, forms a 
No. CCCCXVir. Vol. XVI. 
I 
