100 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
NoVEMBF.E 7. 
softest parts near the points, which he rejects. Those 
not having a heel are cut across at a hud, and in a 
sloping direction above one, so as to make the cutting 
about four inches long. No leaves are left on, except, 
perhaps, a part of a petiole and leaf that covered the 
upper buds. Meantime, a piece of ground has bceu 
prepared for them, forked over, and a little leaf-mould, 
&c., incorporated with it. Over this is placed some 
three or four inches of road-drift, or other sand, and 
then hand-glasses are placed over it. The cuttings are 
inserted thickly in these hand-lights, leaving only about 
an inch of their points exposed, and slightly watered, 
and then covered with the tops of the glasses. One sort 
is generally put under one glass ; with the exception of 
the slightest protection in extra severe weather, the 
cuttings and glasses are allowed to look after themselves 
during the winter. As the warm days of spring come 
on, a little air may be given when the pots are 
emptied of their bedding-plants in May. These Roses 
are lifted with a fork; some will have longish roots, 
some just beginning to root, and some few, perhaps, not 
showing much signs, and as they aro lifted they are 
potted, and kept in a close frame, or pit, for a few weeks, 
until they are growing freely, when more air is given, 
and, ere long, they are planted out-of-doors in a border, 
and appear in October, as I have narrated. Mr. Judd 
says, that there are some of the perpetuals, though they 
strike, yet they will not thrive on their own bottoms, and 
that is just the sort of information we all crave after; 
though, be it remembered, there are few things more 
capricious than the Rose, as one mode that will not suit 
one place may do well in another. 
Water Ram .—The value of these simple helpers have 
not yet been sufficiently prized. Some of our mechanical 
and engineering friends might do good by giving us a 
paper on their utility, construction, and circumstances in 
which they could be most profitably employed. From 
the situation of the kitchen-gardens on high ground, 
we should not expect to find it too well supplied with 
water. All the rain-water from the houses was preserved 
in tanks; still the cartiug of water was a serious item 
in the twelvemonth. In the orchard are two or three 
marshy places, at different levels, which an athletic fellow 
could jump over. These are fed by a small spring, 
which never gets dry, though it runs slowly. A small 
brick reservoir was made so as to give the requisite 
weight of a column of water, on the other side the ram 
is fixed, and a drain cut the necessary depth, to take the 
water that escapes away, and the movement of a plug 
sets it a going or stops it. There is sufficient water to 
work it for three hours, and that will do more than fill 
the cisterns at the houses, &c. For expediting the 
application of the water, a long tube of Waitkman’s 
Anti-rot flax-tubing is screwed on the taps, and 
Mr. Judd considers it much preferable to gutta percha, 
and other praised novelties. 
I have thus brought some of the features of Althorpe 
within the cognizance of our readers, and I hope in such 
a manner as to be somewhat instructive—the great end, 
after all, we ought ever to keep in view in visiting or 
describing places. What little I saw of the agriculture, 
showed that the lands belonging to the Earl of Spencer 
were well cared for; and the sight of many pretty cot¬ 
tages, some near at hand, and many more at a distance, 
showed that here, as in many other places, the principle 
was not only recognised, that “property has its duties 
as well as its rights,” but that a warm-hearted feeling of 
kindness, based on the mutual dependence of all classes 
on each other, is more than ever shown by the wealthy 
to the humble—leading, let us hope, to a still greater 
and glowing exhibition of true generosity on the part of 
the employer, and an increased industry, intelligence, 
and faithfulness on the part of the employed. 
R. Fish. 
GREENHOUSE FERNS. 
{Continued from page 03.) 
rOLYPODIUM. 
This genus formerly contained upwards of two 
hundred species, but, as now arranged, is reduced to 
about eighty species. It was an incongruous assem¬ 
blage, widely different, and is now distributed among 
nine g6nera. The true Polypods may be known by 
their uncovered seed-cases, and simple, forked, or pinnate 
veins. As now reduced, though there are upwards of 
seventy species that require stove, and eight that are 
perfectly hardy, yet there is only one species that I can 
recommend as being suitable for the greenhouse, though 
many of the hardy ones may be grown there, and are 
very ornamental, throwing up finer fronds than they 
do in the open air. 
P. subpetiolatdm (Short-stalked).—A Mexican Fern | 
of considerable beauty. Fronds pinnate, growing with 
ordinary care, two feet high, narrow, lance-shaped, 
covered with very fine short hairs; piiinm, wings, or 
leaves, quite smooth, with very short footstalks. Easily 
increased by dividing the scaly creeping rhizoma. 
WOODWARDIA. 
A commemorative name in honour of Mr. Woodward, j 
a rather eminent British botanist. The characteristics j 
of this remarkable genus consists in the seed-cases being 
much suuk in the leaf with a cover that is hollow like a 
vault, and by the veins being very much divided into 
small irregular squares. 
W. badicans (Rooting).—Very nearly hardy. Native 
of the warmer parts of North America. It is a large, 
growing Fern. I have had it three feet high, and as 
much through the fronds, spreading very much. Unless 
the space in the greenhouse is large, this Fern should 
not be introduced. Fronds irregularly pinnate, of a 
lively green; pinnae irregular in breadth and length, 
with the edges cut into spine-like segments. The fronds 
form at the top a large knob, which soon sends forth 
roots (hence the name, Radieans), and forms new 
plants. It is a common, rather coarse, but curious Fern. 
This completes my list of Greenhouse Ferns. I have 
only to add a few hints on their culture. Like most 
other large classes of plants they thrive best in a house 
by themselves; but, as I remarked before, many of them 
may be grown by the sides of the path, just under the 
first shelf of the stage. The more tender kinds, such as 
Chielanthus and Nothochleana must be placed on a shelf 
near the glass, because the drip from greenhouse plants 
| on the stage would quickly destroy them. If conve¬ 
nient, a nearly upright mass of rockwork at one end of 
the greenhouse would suit many of the species. The 
soil for them, unless otherwise specified in the catalogue, 
should be stronger than that for Stove Ferns. I found 
the following a good mixture for them:—two parts 
mellow, turfy loam, one part fibrous peat, and half-a- 
part partially decayed tree leaves, with a few small 
pieces of charcoal regularly intermixed among the com¬ 
post, together with plenty of sand. I generally prefer 
mixing the compost a day or two previously to the one set 
apart for potting. I think, if it is mixed some months 
before, it becomes so solid that the fine roots of the 
Ferns cannot so readily, if at all, run through it; and 
besides that, it sooner runs together, and will not so 
readily permit the water to pass through, and thoroughly 
wet the interior of the ball of earth in the pot. Except¬ 
ing for very delicate kinds, I find they do best in rather 
large pots, providing they are thoroughly drained. The 
best season for potting is in early spring, just before the 
new fronds begin to shoot. 
The mode of potting is simple, yet requires care. 
Bring the plant to the potting-bench, reverse it, and 
place one hand under it close to the ball, then thrust 
