40 G 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
September 26. 
twice cut; barren fronds wedge-shaped, fertile, sharp- 
! pointed and oblong ; seed-cases long and narrow ; stems 
black and shining. Increased slowly by dividing the 
slow-creeping root-stalk. 
C. hastata (Spear, or Halbert-shaped).—This is the 
well-known Pteris hastata, a native of the Gape. I once 
raised from seed a variety with very broad leaves, and 1 
find now this variety frequently appears amongst seed¬ 
lings of the true species. It is in a much larger habit 
in every way, and I value it more than the species. 1 
have now some plants of it that are really noble spe¬ 
cimens. The species are also very handsome. I find 
them both thrive well in Wardian cases. Fronds from 
a foot to two feet in length ; bipinnate pinna), the lowest 
heart-shaped, the upper halbert-shaped; seed-vessels 
situated on the margin, narrow and continuous; stems, 
very dark brown ; root-stock short and creeping. In¬ 
creases plentifully by seed ; also by dividing the creeping 
root-stock. 
C. infra-marginalis (Bordored-beneath).—This is a 
I most beautiful Fern, from Mexico, requiring great care 
in cultivation; is easily killed by overwatering, or by 
being allowed to become too dry. 1 found it thrive best 
on a shelf, close to the glass, but shaded from the hot 
mid-day sun. Fronds a foot long, bipinnate above, and 
tripinnate below; oval, lance-sbaped pinnae, cut at the 
edges, sharp-pointed and narrow ; seed-cases placed on 
the underside; steins smooth and dark-colourcd. In¬ 
creased, but slowly, by division. 
CHEILANTHES. 
Name derived from cheilos, a lip, and anthos, a Hower; 
the seed-case cover being that shape. A very handsome 
tribe of Ferns, deservedly favourites with all Fern- 
growers; but they require close attention, and should 
have no water over their leaves at any time of the year. 
The soil they do best in is very sandy peat, with small 
pieces of potsherds and charcoal intermixed; the pots to 
be well drained, and rather under-watered, when not 
growiug in winter. 
C. micromera (Small-parted).— A dwarf, Mexican 
Fern, very neat, and of a pleasing green colour. Fronds 
nine inches high; bipinnate pinnae, short and narrow, 
deep milky green; the sterile leaves are notched at 
the edges; seed-cases long and narrow; stems black and 
scaly. Increased by dividing the slowly creeping rhizoma. 
C. MicRORTERrs (Small-winged).—From the hills of 
Mexico, and a neat, beautiful species. Fronds pinnated, 
six inches long, very slender and hairy ; pinnae small, 
almost round, and thickly placed on the stem; steins 
dark brown and smooth. Increased by division. 
C. odora (Sweet-scented).—This is a European Fern, 
but is not hardy. Fronds bipinnate; growing six 
inches high; pinnae on the fronds; when dried, the 
fronds give out a pleasant odour, hence the specific 
name; stems thickly covered with long, narrow scales. 
Increased chiefly by seeds, the root-stock creeps so 
slowly. 
C. tenuieolia (Slender leaved).—From New Holland; 
growing a foot or more high. Fronds die down in 
winter, when the plants must only be kept moist 
enough to keep the roots alive; they are tripinnate, of a 
beautiful milky green; pinnae long ovate, and very 
beautiful. Increased by dividing the creeping rhizoma. 
CYRTOMIUM. 
From Jcyrlos, convex; the veins beiug prominent and 
in that form. There is only one species, and a remark¬ 
able handsomo Fern ; it is perhaps the finest of all the 
greenhouse species. 
C. falcatum (Sickle-shaped).—A Fern from Japan. 
Fronds two feet high, spreading, and of a bright shining 
green, twice cut; the pinnae are broadly falcate, very 
stout, and slightly waved at the edges; veins very con¬ 
spicuous, convex ; with the seed-cases on central veins. 
Increased readily by seeds only. I have seen them 
coming up freely under the stages, if the floor becomes 
mossy or is formed of earth. 
DICTYMIA. 
From dietyon, a net; the veins are very much netted. 
I). attenoata (Attenuated).—A New Holland Fern, of 
great beauty. Fronds simple, that is, uotdivided ; growing 
a foot high ; thick and leathery ; narrowed or attenuated 
at the base; the veins of this fine Fern are very 
beautifully and regularly arranged; the seed-cases are 
in rows, on the upper part of the frond; root-stock 
creeping. Increased by division. 
DEYNARIA. 
From Drys, a tree; it lives in woods. This large 
genus has been formed out of Polypodium ; the dis¬ 
tinguishing characters are the naked seed-cases and the 
crooked veining. There are only two greenhouse 
species. 
D. Billardieri (Billard’s).—From Now Zealand and 
Van Diemen’s Land. This Fern creeps so fast that it is 
useful to cover naked damp walls, rockwork, or stumps 
of trees, or to plant in rustic baskets, in any of which 
positions it will thrive well, if frequently syringed. 
Fronds simple and pinnated; seed-cases large and 
round. Increased readily by division. 
D. pustulata (Pimpled).—From New Zealand; a very 
dwarf Fern. Fronds from a few inches to a foot long ; 
simple occasionally; pinnated veins, obscure and im¬ 
mersed ; seed-cases round, and in one row or series. 
Increased by division. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
THE GARDEN CROPS OF THE PAST 
SEASON. 
Towards the end of summer is not a bad time to take 
a retrospective view of the season, and the quality, or 
otherwise, of the various products it has furnished us 
with ; for, while it is pleasing to hear, on all sides, that 
the most important of all cultivated productions, “the 
wheat and other bread corn,” have been more than 
usually abundant, we may take a survey amongst 
minor matters, and see how far the season has favoured 
the growth of the general occupants of a garden ; for, be 
it remembered, that although garden products receive, 
generally, more attention in tjie shape of artificial assist¬ 
ance, in some way or other, than the majority of agri¬ 
cultural crops, still, the effects of seasou and climate are 
equally oil them, and always exercise their influence on 
the crop, despite all the assistance we can give. A late 
spring will be a late spring, in spite of all the digging, 
manuring, and other items of good cultivation ; but, in 
the absence of these, “a late spring" would be still 
later. However, as my purposo was to decide what the 
season has really been, I herewith begin with one of the 
most important of garden crops. 
Peas. — The earliest of them being sown last No¬ 
vember scarcely showed themselves above ground until 
the middle of February, but the setting in of fine, dry 
weather then, a steady and healthy growth brought 
them forward, so that by the end of April they were 
quite as forward as on most occasions. May and June, 
being dull months, favoured their growth rather than 
hastened their maturity, so that the first crop, which 
should have come into use by the middle of May, was 
somewhat later; but all after-crops benefited by the 
dull, cool, growing season which followed; and it is need¬ 
less to say the crop of Peas was everywhere good, so long 
as the dull, moist, growing weather lasted, which, with us, 
