THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
495 
! September 20. 
E. ITtspanicos (Spanish).—Though this is very similar 
: to the preceding one, yet they are easily distinguished 
by the former being quite smooth, whilst this is hairy. 
From Spain, with reddisli-blue liowers, growing three 
inches high, and flowering iir March. increased by 
! self-sown seeds and by division. 
FICARIA.—PILEWORT. 
Fromyicas, a flg, which the roots resemble. I introduce 
this plant alAongst my early border-flowers because it is 
so pretty, and will grow anywhere, even under trees. As 
a cultivated plant for the choice border, the following is 
well worthy of culture:— 
F. verna pleno (Double-flowered Pilewort).—Garden 
variety, with beautiful double flowers, of a golden- 
yellow colour, appearing in May, growing only three 
inches high. Increased by division when at rest. 
GENTIANA. 
This is a large genus of handsome flowering plants, 
one of which, the G. lutea, produces the bitter called 
gentian. 
G. acaulis (Stemless).—Found in Wales. Has large, 
intense blue flowers, appearing in May, and growing 
only three inches high. Increases freely by division. 
This species forms, in sandy soil, a beautiful edging, and 
when in flower, no edging has a more splendid appear¬ 
ance. My friend, Mr. Weaver, at Winchester, uses it as 
a bedding-out plant, and very effective it is at such an 
early season. It requires, however, replanting in fresh 
soil every three or four years. 
G. Altaica (Altaic).—A beautiful species, with deep 
purple flowers, growing a foot high, appearing in May. 
Increased by division, and by seeds sown as soon as it 
is ripe. 
G. pumit.a (Dwarf).—From Switzerland; flowering in 
May; growing only three inches high, and has a rich 
blue flower. This is a little gem, and, as yet, rare in 
cultivation. Increased by division. 
G. verna (Spring).—Found on the top of Ben Nevis, 
in Scotland, and formerly on some of the English 
mountains; but the ruthless collectors have nearly 
banished it from our wild native plants by gathering 
every root they could find—a proceeding that cannot be 
too severely condemned. Whoever finds a rare wild 
plant should always make it a point of honour to leave 
some for future botanists to find and admire. This 
lovely little plant has deep blue flowers, not more than 
two inches high, appearing in May. Increased by 
division ; requires a peat border, in a shady, cool place. j 
I once savv a border of it,' two feet wide and ten feet 
I long, behind a low brick wall, thickly set with plants, j 
; all in flower. This sight was most beautiful. .It was in ! 
a nursery in Yorkshire — now, alas, all bricks and 
j mortar; what became of the plants I never could learn. 
; There is a white-flowered variety ; but it is valued only 
on account of its rarity. The remainder of this beautiful 
I genus flower later in the year. 
I 
HACQUETIA. 
H. epipactis (Epipactis).—A curiqus plant, from the 
Alps, with yellow flowers, growing three inches high. 
Increased by division. 
HEDYSARUM. 
An ancient name. This is another large assemblage 
of plants, some few of which flower early in the year, 
and aro worthy of culture. They grow in common 
garden soil, and are very hardy. 
H. alpinum (Mountain).—From Siberia; flowering 
in June, with purple flowers; growing two feet high. 
There is a variety with long flower-stalks. Increased 
by division, and by cuttings in spring. 
H. argenteum (Silvery).—From Siberia; flowering 
in May; colour purple ; height one foot. The leaves of 
this plant are almost white, giving it the appearance of 
frosted silver—hence its name. Increased by cuttings 
and division in spring. 
H. CANDiDUM (White).—From Tauria; growing six 
inches high ; flowering in May ; the flowers are purple, j 
it is the leaves that are whitish-green. Increased by 
division. 
H. grandiflorom (Large-flowered).— From Tauria; | 
growing a foot high; blooming in June; with purple I 
flowers. Increased by division. T. Appleby. J 
(To be continued.) 
GREENHOUSE FERNS. 
(Continued from page 477 .) 
BALANTIUM. 
Balantium culcitum (Cushion) —A curious, scarce, 
handsome Fern, the only one of the genus in cultivation. 
It is a native of Madeira. I never saw but two plants— 
1 one at Kew, and the other at Knight and Ferry’s 
Nursery, at Chelsea. The fronds are many times divided, 
technically described as triuquadri-pinnate, growing three 
feet high. The leaves are nearly triangular, with a 
sharp point, and deeply toothed at the edges. The seed- 
cases are curious, in the shape of an oblong purse; hence j 
the generic name, balantium, a purse. The root-stock is 
decumbent, or laid down in the earth, is very thick, and j 
rather creeping. By this it may be increased wherever 
there is a bud formed below the leading shoot. 
BLECHNUM. 
The genus Bleclimtm is well defined, and easily dis- i 
tinguished by its seed-cases, which run in continuous j 
lines on each side of the midrib of the fertile leaves. The | 
genus Lomaria has the seed-cases in the same way; but 
the fertile fronds in that genus are contracted, that is, j 
turned up at the edges; whereas, in Blechnum, the j 
fronds are all even and flat. 
B. Australis (Southern).—A Fern found at the Cape 1 
of Good Hope, with fronds growing a foot high. They | 
are pinnated, slender, and lance-shaped, pinnae stalk¬ 
less; the lower part sickle-shaped, the upper narrow | 
and long; root-stock creeping. Increased by division. \ 
This is a handsome Fern, but rare. • 
B. cartilagineum (Fleshy-edged).—A New Holland j 
Fern, of considerable size; fronds three feet long, lanco- 
shaped and pinnated; leaves, or pinnae, longest at the 
base, gradually shortening upward; the lowest eight 
inches long, cut sharply at the edges, and of a light 
green. Increased slowly by dividing the thick creeping j 
rhizoma. 
B. hastatuji (Spear-headed).—A Fern from Chili, j 
Fronds a foot long, and pinnated ; pinnae narrow, lance- j 
shaped, light green ; the lower ones spear-shaped ; the 
upper sickle-shaped. Increased by dividing the creeping 
root-stalk. 
B. triangulare (Triangular).—A Mexican Fern, of 
great beauty. Fronds afoot long, triangular in form, 
pinnated. The pinnae aro generally alternate, without 
stems; the end one is entire, running out very narrow. 
Increased by division. 
CASSEBEERA. 
A name adopted by Mr, Smith, to commemorate J. H* 
Cassebeer, a German botanist. The plants arranged 
under this name have been collected from Pteris and 
Cheilanthes, to which they are closely allied. There aro j 
a few handsome species which will thrive well in a 
greenhouse. 
C. cuneata (Wedge-shaped).—From Mexico. A Fern 
of considerable elegance. Fronds nine inches high, 
