332 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 24, 1858. 
you can ; every one must be on a piece of its native rock, 
or it will soon perish. Bright green, and bright red Algae are 
always useful; but brown, purple, and olive-coloui’ed kinds 
are of little use, except as botanical specimens. Rhodymenia 
palmata, and Delesseria sanguinea , are lovely things, which 
you may meet with in pools at the lowest water-line: if 
you cannot easily detach them, cut them oil close at the base ; 
and, if bound to a stone and thrown into a tank, they will live 
some weeks, to bo removed as soon as they show signs of 
decay. This is a pretty and instructive way of using many other 
kinds which it is difficult to get complete. A frond of Nito- 
phyllum punctatum is a fine ornament, and a tuft of Griffithsia , 
and a single leaf of the Ladies Tresses, Laminaria phyllitidis, 
are two other subjects suited for the same use. When you 
! have despoiled the pool of its treasures, pull away a handful 
' of fresh sea-weed, of any kind, and lay at the bottom of the 
basket. Place the plant specimens on it, and cover with a 
little more, and then hie away to another spot. 
(2b he continued.') 
GREENHOUSE FERNS. 
Following out the idea, that there are more persons able to 
grow Ferns in a greenhouse than in a stove, as such buildings 
are more common than stoves, I shall in this paper, or divi¬ 
sion of my subject, treat upon Ferns that will thrive in a 
house, the temperature of which is kept through winter a few 
degrees above the freezing point. Many of the more rare 
or beautiful hardy Ferns will thrive exceedingly well in such 
a house. Though greenhouses are generally crowded with 
plants of various kinds through the winter, which are set out 
of doors in summer, yet many Ferns may be kept in it not¬ 
withstanding ; and on this account, that their fronds die off in 
the autumn, and that the plants are dormant through the 
winter ; consequently, they may be kept under the stages or 
platforms, or on shelves against the back wall. In such a state, 
they require but little care, only to be kept moderately moist. 
The evergreen varieties, however, must have due attention paid 
to their having a full share of air, light, and moisture. 
Soil for Greenhouse Ferns. —This section of the Fern tribe 
requires the same kind of soil as those that are grown in 
stoves. The compost should consist of that light, open, fibry 
kind of peat which may be found where the wild Ferns abound, 
—amongst decayed moss, fibry roots, and decaying leaves. The 
common black peat is unfit for this purpose, being too heavy, 
and holding water too much ; in fact, when thoroughly wet, 
no Ferns will live in it. Large-growing Ferns would thrive 
all the better for having added to the fibrous peat about one- 
thircl of turfy loam, taken very thinly off a pasture, and chopped 
into pieces varying from the size of a boy’s marble to a hen’s 
egg. Use both the peat and loam without sifting; mix them 
well together, and add silver sand enough to give the com¬ 
post a sandy character. For small-growing species, use the 
peat without loam, only adding the sand. For seedlings, or 
very young plants of any kind, put the compost through a 
half-inch-meshed sieve. 
Drainage. —The best material for drainage is undoubtedly 
broken pots ; at least, I may say so, without fear of contra¬ 
diction, for the drainage at the bottom of the pots. Some 
recommend cinders, others moss, and some oyster-shells. 
The cinders I object to, because they are difficult to pick out 
from amongst the roots on repotting ; the moss when decay¬ 
ing becomes a muddy stagnant mass, and oyster-shells can¬ 
not always be obtained ; whereas, unfortunately, broken pots 
are always (where pots are used in any quantity) handy,—they 
| may be removed from the ball easily, they let the superfluous 
water pass off freely; and the Fern roots seem to like this 
kind of drainage the best of any that 1 have used. To keep 
| the soil in large pots, open and pervious to water, I have used 
moderate-sized pieces of charcoal, and even sandstone with 
advantage. 
Lotting. I he proper season for this operation is early in 
spring, just when the young fronds begin to push forth. 
Examine the deciduous species, and if any show signs of life, 
give them a good watering, to moisten the soil, a week pre - " 
clous to repotting. Have the pots in readiness—if new, soak 
them in water lor an hour, and set them to dry for a day; if 
i old, let them be washed thoroughly clean. Then get ready 
the drainage materials. Break the potsherds into three sizes, 
—a few, large enough to cover the holes at the bottom of the 
pots, a larger number of less size, and a greater quantity about 
the size of Marrowfat Peas. The compost should be got in 
and be neither dry nor wet. 
All these points having been duly attended to, then bring 
out the plants into the potting shed. In potting, I always 
find it advantageous to pot all of one size first. It is im¬ 
material whether you begin with the largest or the smallest. 
Let this operation be done quickly, I mean all at once, i 
Plants suffer greatly by being kept too long in the potting ! 
shed, exposed, probably, to cold draughts of air, or, if not 
exposed to that, suffering for the want of light. Hence, I 
recommend all to be ready, so that no delay may take place 
in getting the plants repotted and back again to their home. 
During the operation see that all decayed fronds are removed, 
and also any roots that may be dead. Shake off the loose 
soil and old drainage, and, in repotting, leave sufficient space, 
according to the size of each plant, below the rim of the pot, 
to hold water enough to thoroughly wet the entire ball of 
earth. Many a fine Fern has perished hy neglecting this 
point. When all are finished, give a good watering, and 
return them to their place in the greenhouse, previous to 
which there will be a good opportunity to wash the stages, 
platforms, &c., so that all may be fresh, tidy, and clean, giving 
the plants and the house a cheerful, pleasant appearance. 
Watering. —Attention should now be paid to giving due 
supplies of water, especially during the growing season. 
Though the Ferns love water, and must never want it, yet to 
give them this necessary element in excess is very injurious, 
especially to the more delicate kinds, such as the Gold and 
Silver-leaved Gymnogrammas , some Cheilanthes , and others 
of like character. Watch such daily, and give water when 
the surface is dry; give enough at once to wet the whole 
of the soil in the pots, and let it become dry on the surface 
again before giving any more. In dry, hot weather use the 
syringe freely, wetting the walls and floors thoroughly at 
least twice a day, morning and evening. Use rain water in 
syringing over the foliage. 
Air. —I need scarcely direct that air must be given re¬ 
gularly. In spring and summer, indeed, the house should have 
air, both night and day, in abundance. Every cultivator will 
soon find this necessary. If convenient, a slight shade, such 
as Shaw’s Tiffany affords, will be of great service in hot 
sunshine. 
Insects. —The thrip is the greatest enemy to Ferns. It 
may be kept under by frequent moderate smokings of tobacco. 
In very bad cases, cut off the fronds most affected, and burn 
them, and wash the remainder with tobacco water and sulphur 
vivum, syringing it off again the next day. The brown 
scale must be rubbed off', and the plants washed with the 
above mixture. I have received some plants from abroad so 
infested with both white and brown scale, that I found it 
necessary to cut off all the fronds, and watch the young ones, 
and keep them clean as they advance in growth. 
My allotted space being now full, I must delay the list of 
kinds suitable for a greenhouse to another opportunity.—T. 
Appleby. 
QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 
RAISING FERNS FROM SEED. 
“ I have for the last two years been raising Ferns from seed, 
and have been partially successful; but have frequently been 
annoyed by a sort of black mould, or fungus, which spreads 
over the surface of the sand, destroying the young plant where- 
ever it goes. Can you tell me how it may be prevented ? I 
fill the pot, or pan, three-parts full with crocks, then a little 
chopped moss, then a layer of peat, on that a little silver 
sand, and a few small lumps of sandstone on the surface; 
covering with a bellglass, and setting the pan in a feeder well 
supplied with water, in various degrees of temperature. 
“ Will you also kindly give me a few hints as to the most 
successful method of growing the filmy Fern ?”—Salopian. 
[We, too, have been bothered by the same black mould, or 
fungus, on our seedlings ; and we have been told that the juice, 
or moisture, from soddened peat, rising to the surface through 
