THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 0, 1856. 159 1 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
Weather near London in 1855. 
D 
D 
DECEMBER 9—15, 1856. 
Sun 
Sun 
Moon 
Moon’s 
Clock 
Day of 
M 
w 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
Wind. 
Inches. 
Rises. 
Sets. 
R. & S. 
Age. 
bf. Sun. 
Year. 
9 
Tu 
Greenfinches flock. 
30.100—29.956 
35—30 
N.E. 
00 
56 a. 7 
49 a. 3 
4 51 
12 
7 14 
344 
10 
w 
Eng.s humeralis. 
30.079—30.037 
35—22 
N. 
00 
58 
49 
6 24 
13 
6 47 
345 
11 
Th 
Engis rufifrons. 
30.033-29-900 
33—23 
S.W. 
00 
59 
49 
rises. 
© 
6 19 
346 
12 
IF 
Engis ferruginea. 
29.885—29.692 
33—13 
S.W. 
00 
VIII 
49 
3 a 55 
15 
5 51 
347 
13 
S 
Nitidula grisea. 
30.097—30.015 
36—15 
N.W. 
00 
0 
49 
5 5 
16 
5 23 
348 
14 
Son 
3 Sunday in Advent. 
30.015—29.900 
49—40 
W. 
07 
1 
49 
6 25 
17 
4 54 
349 
15 
M 
Anobium tessellatura. 
30.222—30.038 
48—25 
W. 
00 
2 
49 
7 47 
18 
4 25 
350 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years 
, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 40.2°, and 34.3°, respectively. 
The greatest heat 
6l°, occurred on the 13th, 
in 1842 ; 
and the lowest cold. 11°. 
on the 13th, in 184b. During the period 113 days were fine, and on 83 rain fell. 
POLYPO'DIUM ALPE'STRE. 
This, until a few years since, was unnoticed as a British 
Fern, apparently because it lias the aspect, unless closely 
inspected, of Athyrium Jilix-fcemina. It has been called 
| Polypodium rhaticum and Pseudathyrium alpestre; but 
we know of no other English name than Alpine Poly- 
k pody, a name very appropriate, because it is found only 
in mountain glens at high elevations. 
Root, in its wild state, lying down, much branched, 
with a tuft of fronds at the end of each branch. Fronds, 
from one to three feet high, in circular tufts; their 
stem rather swollen at the base, and only about one- 
fifth of its length bare of leaflets, this bare part having 
a few brown, broad, pointed scales. The general out- j 
line of the frond is narrow spear-head-shaped; leaflets ; 
alternate, and their leafits, like the frond, narrow spear¬ 
head-shaped, on short stalks, at right angles with the 
stalk of the leaflet, deeply cut at their edges, and each 
section sharply toothed; their mid-vein zigzag, and 
with lateral veins branching into each section, bearing a 
mass of fructification at the end of one of their branches 
midway between the mid-vein and edge of the leaflt. 
Each mass is circular, generally distinct, but sometimes 
running together. 
This Fern was first discovered in the British Isles by 
Mr. H. C. Watson, who, in 1841, found it on Ben j 
Aulder, in Invernessbire, and in Canlocken Glen, For- I 
farshire. It has since been found on the Clova Moun¬ 
tains by Mr. Backhouse, who observes that Athyrium 
jilix-fcemina accompanies it up as high as from 2,000 to 
3,000 feet; but from the latter height, up to 4,000 feet, 
Polypodium alpestre is alone. 
Mr. W. Reeve informs us that Polypodium alpestre is 
well worthy of cultivation, for, when successfully grown, 
it is erect, yet elegant. It requires a well-drained com¬ 
post, composed of fibry peat two parts, and fine loam 
and leaf-mould equalised to form the other two parts, 
with an admixture of silver sand and freestone crocks, or 
some such porous substance, broken very small. The 
plants in pots must have a good drainage, and be kept 
moist during the growing season, and gradually dried 
off and ripened as winter approaches, when they will 
require a slight protection; to be either shifted into 
larger pots or deep pans in the spring, or to be parted 
and placed in smaller pots. If cultivated on .rockwork, 
or in any fixed situation, care must be taken to procure 
a thorough drainage. In any case, if the drainage is 
bad, the plant will not thrive. It must be planted 
firmly upon a shallow supply of the above-named 
compost. This, with a few pieces of porous stone or 
old mortar laid about the surface, will be beneficial. 
It prefers an open situation, but does not like the rays 
of the sun much. If these directions are followed, and 
a moderate supply of water given overhead during the 
growing season, success may be expected. It may be 
grown well in a greenhouse where it can have plenty of 
light, and it can be propagated by division. 
On Thursday, the 4th inst., a Meeting of the British 
Pomological Society was held at the rooms, 20, Bedford 
No. CCCCXXVIII. Vo l. XVII. 
