THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 30, 1859. 
331 
scarce. By keeping the same plants for this purpose from year 
to year, they become habituated to springing up at this time, 
and thus furnish decorations for that season. I think this 
practice may be imitated with advantage by any gardener desirous 
(and who is not ?) of having a good supply of such flowers at 
that season of the year. I saw a noble specimen of the Elk’s- 
horn Fern, Platt/cerium grande, hung up on a block in a corner 
of this Pine-stove. The block was completely covered with the 
infertile fronds, and the fertile ones were fully three feet high. 
As I intimated in my last communication on these gardens, I 
was conducted from the grotto fernery to the large stove and 
Fern-house, which is 121 feet long by 24 feet wide. It is divided 
near the centre with rustic arches covered with Ferns and Lyco- 
pods. In the first division the Ferns are grown in pots placed 
on a platform next to a brick wall: lienee each pot is sheltered 
from the scorching rays of a summer’s sun—a point of culture 
deserving attention. These Ferns are admirably grown, especially 
the following species :—- 
Cheilanthes lendigera. Two feet high, and as much through. 
C. hirta and C.frigida, equally fine. 
Nothoclana chrysophylla. Two fine plants, perhaps the finest 
in England. 
N. nivea. Several good plants. 
Leucostegia cheer ophylla. Very fine. 
Davallia ternifolia. Two feet. 
D. dissecta. Three feet. 
D. hullata. Three feet. 
D. elegans. Three feet. 
Platyloma calomelanos. Two feet. 
P. ternifolia. Two feet. 
Gymnogramma chrysophylla. Two feet. 
Gr. Peruviana argyrophylla. Three feet by three feet, very 
fine. 
G. lanata. Two feet. 
G. Mertensii. Three feet. 
Adiantum macrophylla. Two feet and a half, very healthy. 
A. variant. Two feet. 
A. trapezforme. Three feet by three feet, really splendid. 
Asplenium Balangerii. Two feet by three feet, a fine Fem. 
A. foeniculaceum. Two feet. 
Cibotium Barometz. Three feet, splendid. 
Neottopteris nklas. Four feet, a noble plant. 
A new broad-leaved fine Fern from the Amazon River country. 
Besides these I noted many others, equally fine, of more 
common species. 
In the centre of this part of the stove there are at least a score 
of large plants, in full flower, of the old Begonia nitida. I was 
assured they flower all the year. A more showy plant for general 
purposes is not known. For cut flowers it is invaluable. 
Passing through the rustic arches in the centre of that part of 
the stove, there is a pit filled with tan : and, growmg in pots 
plunged in that plant-encouraging material, I saw the following 
handsome stove plants :— 
Allamanda Schottii. Trained balloon-sliape, and covered with 
the largest flowers I ever saw anywhere. 
A. Cathartica. Quite as large, and as well bloomed. 
A. grandiflora. A fine well-bloomed plant. 
Dipladenia crassinoda. Three feet through, covered with high- 
coloured flowers. 
I). acuminata. Decidedly distinct, and with larger and equally 
liigh-coloured blossoms. 
D. splendens. Very fine. 
Ixora salicfolia. A moderate-sized plant, with seven large 
heads of flowers, very finely coloured. Mr. Crouch keeps this 
species in good health by grafting it upon I. coccinea —a secret 
worth knowhig. 
I. coccinea. This fine old plant is grown here in this tan-bed 
in great perfection. Some of the heads of bloom measured nine 
inches across. 
I. alba. A fine white-flowered species. 
I. jloribunda. A distinct, very free-flowering species, which 
every grower of stove plants ought to procure. 
Cyrtoceras rejlexus. Three feet. A dense well-flowered plant. 
Vincas, three species. 
On the curb-stone of tins pit I noted several fine plants of 
Dioncea muscipula , and many species of the curiously-interesting 
genus Saraeenia. The sides of the house where this tan-pit is 
are formed of roekwork now almost hidden with various kinds of 
Ferns. Amongst them the beautiful-foliaged Cissns discolor 
creeps about, displaying its rich many-hued foliage to great 
advantage. On the roof the strange-formed flowers of Aristolochia 
gigas were in great perfection. 
Gloxinias and Achimenes were hi groat force—large plants 
covered with bloom. The Achimenes are made use of for basket 
plants, and very fine they were ; some measuring fully five feet 
across, and every leaf perfect: nothing could be more beautiful. 
Variegated plants, such as Croton variegatum, five feet by 
three feet; C. saliefolium, well branched, the same size ; Bego¬ 
nias in great variety ; Caladiums, &c. I noted a fine well-bloomed 
plant of Meyenia erecla, which I understand is nearly always in 
flower; and the secret of that is, they water it with liquid 
manure, never prune it, and keep it underpotted. 
AEchmea fulgens, one of the best of stove plants, is here in a 
mass, fully three feet across. Also Stephanotis thyrsacanthus, 
eight feet; Cycas revoluta, five feet, &c. 
Lycopodiums there are no end of, growing in wide shallow 
pans. They are very beautiful. 
Leaving this most interesting house, I came upon a large 
square set round with covered seats and ornamented with statuary. 
Near it Mr. Jennison had formed last year a large lake, five 
hundred yards round, on which parties who love aquatic rides 
are provided with boats ; and even a small steamboat plies on its 
waters. 
Crossing the square, we came to a second Fern grotto, orna¬ 
mented with pillars formed of scoriai and covered with Ferns, 
&c. Here small jets of water play, and give animation to the 
scene. This roekwork is admirably done, and is the handiwork 
of Mr. Crouch. In this house there is a fine Musa Cavendishii. 
This concluded the garden part of tins establishment, and the 
whole reflects great credit to the manager. 
The zoological department is rather out of my way. I may 
just state, however, that the collection of animals and rare birds 
is considerable, and continually increasing. There are dens for 
carnivorous species, a lofty house for monkeys, a large aviary for 
the parrot tribe, a large paddock for deer, camels, alpaca sheep, 
and ostriches. There is also a maze larger than that at Hampton 
Court. There are archery grounds, bear-pits, in which I noticed 
two very, large white Polar bears. Near these pits there is a leaf- 
covered walk winding its sinuous way for several hundred yards, 
formed chiefly with the Weeping Ash, supported by pillars, 
above the reach of heads, bats, or bonnets. I may also just 
glance at the noble Music Hall, recently decorated by Danson 
and Sons, of London, which, with the refreshment and retiring 
rooms, covers an area of four thousand square yards, in which, 
and the galleries, 15,000 persons can be sheltered. One large 
room Mr. Jennison has liberally devoted to the use of such 
persons as may choose, for economy or necessity, to bring their 
own provisions. This is called the hot-water room. For the 
small charge of twopence each party of visitors are supplied with 
tea-tray, cups and saucers, teapot, and other requisites, with hot 
water ad libitum. 
I might fill a small pamphlet if I were to mention every point 
of interest in these remarkable Gardens ; but my space is full, 
so I can only say, if any of my readers visit Manchester, let 
them by all means visit Belle Vue Gardens. I am sure they 
will be highly gratified, as was the writer on the occasion when 
these notes were jotted down.—T. Apcluby. 
NOTES UPON PERNS. 
Tkichomanes. —Among Ferns the various species of Tri- 
chomanes are my especial favourites. Their minute size, the ex¬ 
quisite beauty of their pellucid (almost transparent) fronds, the 
variety of forms they assume, their extreme delicacy, and, in a 
less degree, I must confess, their rarity, have caused them to be 
elected “ the pets,” and entitled them to a superlative degree of 
attention. Many sorts have, from time to time, been imported ; 
but as they have, hi most cases, been lost again, it is extremely 
difficult to obtain information respecting them. Since Ferns 
have become so popular, a large number have been introduced ; 
and greater attention being paid to them, I trust their ranks 
will be constantly recruited for many years to come. There arc 
nearly thirty species which may now be looked upon as fairly 
established in our English gardens. I have turned to Loudon’s 
works, Paxton’s dictionary, and other works of reference, seeking 
information concerning them, but without success. The Cottage 
Gardeners' Dictionary is the only book in which more than onO 
or two species are named. Twenty sorts are given there; but 
not- half of these are now in cultivation, I fear. It may, there* 
