THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
October 10. 1 
and heart-shaped, with notched edges. Fertile fronds, 
pinnate; pinnae long and narrow, and entire at the 
edges, though contracted. Stems scaly. Increased by 
i dividing the thick, creeping root-stock ; but the divisions 
must be well rooted, with a frond or two on each, 
j L. Frazebi (Frazer’s). So named by A. Cunningham, 
l in honour of his friend, A. Frazer, a fellow-traveller, 
j Native of New Zealand, and a very handsome Fern. 
I Fertile fronds twice cut; pinnte narrow and oblong, 
growing a foot high ; the others are shorter. Increased 
by dividing the creeping rhizoma. 
L. Gilliesii (Gillies’s).—Though from the Brazils, 
this handsome Fern is hardy enough to thrive in the 
greeeukouse. Frond of both kinds pinnated. Barren 
fronds a foot high, of an oval lance-shape; pinnae 
obliquely heart-shaped, that is, one side is shorter than 
the other, in the same way as some Begonias. The 
margin is cut. Fertile fronds a foot high; pinnae narrow, 
contracted, and sharp-pointed. The rhizoma produces 
many heads; hence, the plant may be increased by 
division. 
L. Magellanica (Magellan).—So named, because it is 
a native of Terra del Fuego, a country on the borders 
of the Straits of Magellan. Fronds of both kinds 
pinnate. Sterile fronds a foot long, lance-shaped; 
pinnae narrow, and sharp pointed, with the margin 
entire. Fertile fronds also a foot long, narrow, con¬ 
tracted, and sharp at the point. Fronds standing on 
the top of an erect rhizoma, which, Dr. Gardener says, 
he saw many specimens four feet high, at a great height 
on the Organ Mountains, in Brazil. It is very rare, 
and can only be increased by seed. 
L. nuda (Naked).—A Fern found in Vau Diemau’s 
Land. Fronds of both kinds pinnate. Sterile ones 
broadly lance-shaped, growing a foot-and-a-half high, 
and of a beautiful light green. Fertile fronds, with 
pinnae of a sickle form, narrow, and sharp-pointed. 
Rhizoma many-headed, and rather creeping. Increased 
by division. 
L. Pattersoni (Patterson’s).—Another species from 
Van Dieman’s Laud. Fronds simple, sometimes, when 
well grown, slightly pinnated. Barren fronds stiff or 
rigid, growing six or nine inches high, long, lance- 
shaped, with the edge notched. Fertile fronds a foot 
high, long, narrow, simple, hut often pinnate. Increased 
by dividing the plant when it has many heads. 
NIPHOBOLUS. 
Whoever grows any species of this genus may be 
much gratified by a microscopic view of the under-side 
of the leaves. There will, when so viewed, be seen a 
white, starry set of short, fine hairs, giving the leaf 
(nipliobolus) a mossy appearance. 
N. lingua (Tongue-like).—A Chinese Fern, of a neat 
habit, but rarely seen in fruit. The only time I ever 
saw it was on the rockwork in the Fern House in the 
Botanic Garden at Sheffield. I imagine the reason has 
been because it has generally been kept too warm in the 
stove. Fronds simple and of two kinds. Barren fronds 
long, oval-shape, with a sharp point, growing nine inches 
high. Fertile fronds turned up at the edge a little, and 
rather less than the other seed-cases, thickly strewed on 
the under surface, giving the frond the appearance of a 
piece of brown cloth. Veins placed between the two 
surfaces of the leaf; these, to be seen in their wondrous 
beauty, should have the tissue of substance of the leaf 
j destroyed and removed by soaking in water. If this be 
j delicately done, one of the most beautiful examples of 
j elegant veining will be seen. Increases fast by dividing 
its quickly-creeping rhizoma. 
N. rupestris (Rock).—One of the tiniest of all Ferns. 
I have kept it in a three-inch pot for years. Native of 
j Australia. Fronds of two kinds. Fertile, narrow, and 
| blunt at the top, and not more than three inches high. 
Barren ones, thick, oval, and not more than two inches 
high. This pretty little Fern might be grown in those 
tiny pots in which we see Sedums, aud small Aloes, and 
Mesembryanthemums cultivated, and sold in Italian 
warehouses in London, generally termed baby plants. 
It might also be planted on a hollow stone, and hung 
up in a Wardian case. Increases freely by dividing the 
creeping rhizoma. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
RIPENING OF LATE FRUITS. 
As cold retards the progress of most natural produc¬ 
tions, in like proportion that warmth hastens them on, it 
behoves us to use these two agents in such a way as to 
conduce most to our benefit, and for the general well¬ 
being of the things we have in band. In the first place, 
we will suppose that certain late fruits of a perfectly 
hardy kind seem more inclined to decay than ripen ; 
we must, in this case, use the warmth with a view to 
hasten on the proper maturing, and in this way a few 
good fruit of late Melons, which at this season are much 
inferior to what they are in August, may be much 
improved by having their latent juices corrected by a 
judicious application of heat, so as to hasten the 
production or formation of sugary matter in the fruit. 
Where it is impracticable to give this to the plant, the ; 
fruit will be somewhat benefited by being placed in a j 
warm medium, the warmest end of a forcing-house, or 
stove, or, what is better, perhaps, a warm kitchen, or 
other heated place. It may appear strange that a fruit 
should attain a better flavour by such treatment after it 
has been separated'from the plant; and we can only 
account for it by supposing, that in the warm, dry 
medium in which it is placed, some of the juices are 
converted to sugar and high flavour, by a process 
similar to that which gives sweetness and flavour to 
barley in converting it into malt. Certain it is, that 
a Melon will improve by such treatment; but to say 
that it will be as good as one produced in August, would 
be affirming an untruth; for in spite of all the means 
which fire and water enable us to command, the genial 
influence of the sun at Midsummer far outstrips it all 
in the perfecting of fruit and other natural objects, and 
whatever ripens then, or afterwards, is better than the 
same things are at a later period, providing that this 
early season be their natural one for so doing. 
Next to late Melons benefiting by artificial heat, 
certain kinds of Pears require it also; otherwise they 
are not of any use. Of this fruit it would be difficult to 
particularize, because some seasons seem to exercise an 
influence over it which other seasons do not. For 
instance, in some years, Crassanne Pears will all become 
cracked and useless, with scarce a good one to be found, 
while, in another seasou, they will be sound and good. 
Some kinds, too, have a tendency to decay on one side, i 
long before the principal portion of the fruit be ripe or 
even full grown ; and though in a wall-tree the evil may 
be supposed to be partly controlable by the cultivator, 
yet I am more in favour of open standard trees than 
those trained on walls, where the climate and other 
features will allow the former to grow, because I think 
the flavour so much superior. Let any one dubious of 
this fact taste a Marie Louise Pear grown on a wall, 
and one of the same kind from an open standard, and I 
have no doubt but he will easily pronounce in favour of 
the latter ; and in other kinds the superiority is equally 
perceptible, whenever they attain any thing like a ma¬ 
tured condition, for, of course, when this cannot be 
accomplished in the standard, there is some advantage 
in the “ wall tree,” if it have any other aspect but north, 
and other things favour its growth and perfection. 
