I 
88 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION 
fresh wouuds, and country-people know it as “ Adder’s- 
spear ointment.” 
There is a very permanent variety of this Fern, which 
by some botanists has been raised to the dignity of a 
species, under the name of Ophioglossum Lusitanicum, 
the Spanish or Lesser Adder’s Tongue. Its only re¬ 
markable differences from 0 . vulgatum are its shorter 
growth, its producing more than one leaf, and the leaves 
being stalked and spear-head-shaped. 
The accompanying drawing will best make its dif¬ 
ferences understood. 
“For its discovery in the Channel Islands we are in¬ 
debted to Mr. George Wolsey, who found it among 
short herbage on the summit of rocks not far from 
Petit Bot Bay, on the south coast of the Island of 
Guernsey, growing with Trichonema Columnce and 
Scilia autwnnalis.” (Sowerby’s Ferns, edited by Charles 
Johnson.) 
Mr. W. Reeve, writing to us relative to the culture of 
these Ferns, says :— 
The OgAiioglossum vulgatum is scarcely worth cul¬ 
tivating unless for curiosity, or for completing a col¬ 
lection, in which case it should not be absent. Although 
of simple appearance, yet, when cultivated with other 
species of Ferns, it will not fail to give satisfaction, and, 
like the Ophioglossum Lusitanicum , may he very easily 
grown, and will soon spread and form a mass, under 
favourable circumstances, at the base of the Fernery or 
rockery. Let it have a compost of equal parts loam, 
leaf-mould, aud peat, with an admixture of sand. There 
is not enough interest in the plant itself to be grown 
away from other Ferns. 
It may be also grown in pots, or wide, shallow pans, 
in the same compost. It must be potted firmly, with a 
good drainage, and requires a good supply of water. It 
may be propagated by division, or by the fructification, 
to ho treated in the same wav as directed for former 
genera. It will be as well to give both these Ferns a 
shght protection in winter when cultivated in pots. 
Each will thrive well in the greenhouse.” 
A Meeting of the British Pomological Society was 
held on Thursday last, which was numerously attended, 
and at which there was a large collection of fruit. The 
Meeting did not close till late in tho day, and as the 
November 11, 185(5. 
report of such a variety of different fruits will necessarily 
be a long one, we are compelled to leave the publication 
till next week. 
KINGSTON NURSERY.—Nov. 1 st. 
All the plant-houses in Messrs. Jackson and Son’s 
Nursery are numbered from one onwards, except the 
conservatory, a fine large show-house, with one end 
against the London Road, where all who pass may see 
every plant in the house. There is not another show- 
house in the trade, that I know of, -which is better 
furnished all the year round than this. 
The chief plants which were in flower in this house 
on the above-named day were, Erica hyemalis, Archeriana, \ 
assurgens, autumnalis, gracilis, Westcotia, grandinosa, j 
and curviflora lutea. There is a large collection of j 
Heaths, for which this Nursery has been celebrated as I 
long as I remember; and there are now as large speci- [ 
mens of them to be had here as anywhere in this 
country, and as well grown and as good in health. 
Along the end of the conservatory facing the road 
the first row was of Golden Chain Geranium, Mountain 
of Light, Lady Plymouth, Kinghorns Anna, a great 
favourite here, which, they say, is the only one of them 
yet which will supersede Flower of the Day in beds, 
with an assortment of all the variegated kinds, of which 
they hold a large stock. Variegated Hydrangeas, Chinese 
Primroses, and behind these Pompones and Baron Hugel 
Geraniums. Fine specimens of this kind flower very 
late if kept on short commons early in the summer, aud 
if they get a good honest shift in August and September 
for a succession. For all common purposes, such as wed¬ 
dings, routs, balls, public breakfasts, private and public 
dinners, and all sorts of gatherings where it is safe to 
smell or see flowers, this firm supply them at all seasons, 
aud take them back again if the people do not want 
them after the fuss is over. 
A few variegated, little, very pretty standard and half 
standard Orange-trees, from a foot to twenty inches high, 
are here, with some other things. Then along a side or 
front shelf, running the whole length of the house, the ar¬ 
rangement was unique, quite new to me, and very good. 
Thus, three pots of Variegated Geraniums, all of one 
size and close to the edge, and one pot of Isolepis some¬ 
thing, which will puzzle some one some of these days. 
It is a most elegant drooping grass, as one might say, 
but not exactly a botanical grass. If I mistake not, 
however, I have seen a goat placing it in the same 
natural order as the sweetest grasses. Then three pots 
of Variegated Geraniums and another pot of Isolepis, 
and so on to the farthest end of the house; and the 
effect was very good indeed. Fuchsias in bloom, and a 
whole miscellany came in behind this front row; and 
overhead were hanging baskets, one from each rafter, 
also as straight as the grass, and dodge and grass again 
line. 
In the body of this house Camellias took the lead, 
and will keep it through the winter. They are re¬ 
markably well in bud this season, probably owing to 
the extreme length of the summer drought. Hereabouts 
this season our hedgerows were yellow in leaf, and fast 
falling for want of rain, while we were reading of crops 
being flooded in other parts. Among large specimens 
of Camellias stood a gigantic Indian Lily, Lilium 
giganteum, in full seed, at the end of a six-feet stalk, as 
big as a Larch pole ; seed-pods eight in number; shape 
like the berry of a Fuchsia, aud size of a hen’s egg, but 
longer. If we say that each pod is three-celled, “ seeds 
packed one upon another in one or two rows,” and that 
it would take four thousand of this seed, one upon 
auother, to make up oue inch in depth, who will tell 
how many seeds are or were in all ? 
/ 
