230 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
July 3. 
his Synopsis Metliodica Stirpium Britannicarum, de¬ 
scribes it as found in Westmoreland, and other places, 
by Mr. James Sutherland, the first curator of the Edin¬ 
burgh Botanical Garden. Ray calls it, as it was called 
by its first describer, Scbwenkfeld, Adiantum album 
crispum alpinum (Curled Alpine White Maiden-hair). 
Linnaeus, who knew less about Ferns than about any 
other of the great divisions of the vegetable kingdom, 
named it at one time Osmunda, and at another time 
Pteris crispa, whilst some botanists have called it 
Crytogramma, and others Phorolobus, but the best 
authorities now agree that J. J. Bernhardi, at the com¬ 
mencement of the present century, was correct when 
he separated it from all other Ferns, and named it 
Allosorus. 
We have seen that Ray and other early herbalists 
considered this Fern an Adiantum, or Maiden-hair. In 
those days plants were chiefly examined for their me¬ 
dicinal qualities, and all herbalists then agreed with 
our earliest writer on Plants, Dr. William Turner, that 
of the Adiantums , “ the juyce stayeth the heare that 
falleth off, and if they be fallen off, it restoreth them 
agayne.” But it is quite certain that his remedy is as 
defective as his spelling and grammar. 
Though deficient in medicinal qualities, this Fern, 
as we have already noted, is well worthy of culture for 
its elegance. 
When cultivated, it should be grown upon well- 
drained rockvvork, moderately shaded, kept moist, and 
planted in a mixture of loam and peat, and all the 
better if a portion of bricks, broken up into small 
pieces, be mixed with it. But with all the care bestowed 
upou such plants, they will disappear at times, there¬ 
fore, the cultivators of such beautiful and interesting 
plants should always keep duplicates in well drained 
pots, and the pot-kept plants should always have winter 
protection, but during the summer months such pots 
can always be placed out-of-doors in some suitablo 
place. The plants should always be well-established 
in pots before being turned out in the border or rockery. 
This Fern is readily increased by division in the 
spring months. It grows luxuriantly in the green¬ 
house or vinery, under the shade of the Vines. A little 
protection can be given to any of these choice little 
Ferns, even when they are planted out upon the rockery, 
or in the border, by placing a hand-glass over them. 
Continuing our notes, begun last week, upon the 
gardens well worthy of a visit in the vicinity of London, 
we may next particularize Gunnersbury Park, Ealing, 
the seat of Baron Do Rothschild, one mile north of 
Brentford. It was distinguished for its good forcing 
establishment under Mr. Mills, the late head gardener, 
and the honour is now upheld by his successor, Mr. 
Forsyth. About lialf-a-mile further on is Ealing Park, 
the seat of Mrs. Lawrence. It is scarcely necessary 
to inform the reader that the plants from this place 
attained a world-wide fame for many years at the 
Great Metropolitan Shows. It is gratifying to know 
that it is still kept up in first-rate style under the 
| management of Mr. May. 
Another day could be profitably spent in visiting the 
Royal Botanic Gardens, Regent’s Park. It is an ex¬ 
cellent example, how a variety of landscape scenes, 
and the utmost seclusion, can be produced in a popu¬ 
lous neighbourhood. This is owing to the skill of Mr. 
Marnock, the curator. 
The “ Holme,” only a few yards from the back 
entrance to the Botanic Gardens, is situated in the 
Inner Circle, Regent’s Park. It is a pretty villa re¬ 
sidence, interesting for its tiny caverns, its rockery, and 
for containing multum in parvo of picturesque and 
artistical beauty. 
The Messrs. Henderson's Nurseries, Wellington Road, 
St. John’s Wood, and Pine-Apple Place, Edgeware Road, 
are well worthy of a visit. 
At Mr. Veitch's Exotic Nursery, King’s Road, Chelsea, 
whither the visitor can be conveyed from Piccadilly 
by an omnibus, for sixpence, are to be seen many rare 
and beautiful plants, and the collections of well-grown 
specimens so distinguished and so conspicuous at the 
Metropolitan Flower Shows. 
The Nursery Grounds of Messrs. John Weeks and 
Co., King’s Road, are in the same neighbourhood, and 
for tasteful arrangement with China vases, fancy baskets, 
and a German style of adornment, under the manage¬ 
ment of Mr. Granenberg, are worthy of a passing visit. 
A cab will now be indispensable to convey the visitor 
to West Hill, Wandsworth, the seat of Sigismuud 
Rucker, Esq. It is about two miles from Battersea 
Bridge, and contains a valuable selection of Exotic 
Orchids, and of New Holland and other sorts of plants, 
in the highest state of cultivation. 
In conclusion, we can vouch, from pretty good ex¬ 
perience, that gardeners are, generally, we may say 
universally, willing to show attention, and the gardens 
under their care, to all persons who take an interest in 
horticultural pursuits. K. 
BUSH FRUITS IN SUMMER. 
Although a mere Gooseberry, Currant, or Raspberry 
bush is a small affair, taken singly, yet in the aggregate 
they are most important to the country, both in the 
kitchen and the dessert. We may say yet one word 
more for them, and that not a small recommendation. 
They are, as a whole, peculiarly the poor man’s fruit. 
I will, therefore, cast a glance at each of them, feeling 
assured that most of the readers of Thk Cottage Gar¬ 
dener grow, at least, one or more of them. 
Gooseberries.- —Who ever heard such complaints of 
the ravages of the caterpillar? One market-gardener 
has been stated to have employed a hundred women in 
picking off these destructives. Our readers, perhaps, 
may he aware, that a nurseryman of the same standing 
advised, this spring, in the most emphatic waj^, the 
uso of soot as a preventive of this caterpillar, i have 
used it somewhat extensively, and believe it to he a 
most useful application. Having applied it to about 
three-parts of the bushes here, and left the other portion 
undone, I am in a position to offer good evidence. I 
will not, however, say more at present, than that the 
dressed portion are almost free from this pest, whilst 
