664 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 19, 18S6. 
PHENOMENA OF VARIATION, 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO 
FERNS.* 
Ix a paper which I had the honour of reading here 
last season upon certain newly discovered phenomena 
of reproduction in Ferns, I confined myself mainly to 
a description of the various normal and abnormal 
methods by which they are propagated, and an 
elucidation of the characteristic differences in these 
respects between the Filic.es and the flowering plants. 
With the view of opening a discussion of somewhat 
wider interest than the study of Ferns alone could do, 
I purpose to-night to dwell especially upon the peculiar 
faculty of variation possessed by Ferns, and the general 
character of such variation, in order to ascertain from 
the discussion which I hope will follow whether this 
faculty is displayed in as great a degree in the other 
branches of botany which may form the special study 
of my fellow members. I therefore start with the 
hypothesis that Ferns are endowed with a greater 
capacity of sudden variation under natural circum¬ 
stances than other plants. 1 say under natural 
circumstances, because it is chiefly wild sports which 
I have in view, and not the wonderful differences 
which careful cultivation and selection are capable of 
effecting in almost every living thing if only time 
enough be granted. 
The faculty of variation is general throughout or¬ 
ganic life, but, in the vast majority of cases, the 
individual differences displayed between organisms of 
the same species are mainly the result of different 
conditions of growth, and do not involve any material 
alteration of structural plan. The offspring, conse¬ 
quently, present the same general appearance as the 
parent. Here and there, however, through some subtle 
occult influence, cases present themselves where the 
offspring is found to display strongly marked charac¬ 
teristics, of which not a trace existed in either parent, 
or, so far as can be ascertained, in any of its progeni¬ 
tors. These sudden departures from the normal type 
(or sports, as they are horticulturally termed) seem 
frequently to result from some accumulated influence 
induced by the artificial conditions attendant in culti¬ 
vation. This is shown by the fact that many flowers 
under such treatment are liable after a certain time to 
vary suddenly either in themselves or their progeny— 
a fact to which we owe the immense number of strongly 
marked forms of floral beauty now existent. 
In Ferns, however, under purely natural conditions 
—at any rate, under conditions as natural as we can 
obtain in a civilised country—there have been dis¬ 
covered an immense number of forms departing so 
widely from the normal types among which they were 
found, and which are so isolated in their occurrence, 
and so entirely unaccompanied by any trace of inter¬ 
mediate aberration, that we are forced to the conclusion 
that they are the direct offspring of spores from per¬ 
fectly normal plants, notwithstanding which, they, in 
most cases, truly transmit their peculiarities generation 
after generation to their offspring. 
What an extraordinary subtle influence must that be 
which in either plant or animal can so affect and trans¬ 
form the microscopic germ that the resulting offspring 
shall not only differ materially from the parent form, 
but possibly an altogether different type of structure, 
at once symmetrical and beautiful, shall originate, and 
be able to transmit henceforth its peculiarities to its 
offspring. Here, indeed, have we special creations, 
forming striking exceptions to the general rule of 
gradual evolution. 
To return to my special theme—Ferns. Take, for 
instance, the Victoria Lady Fern, and grant the as¬ 
sumption, which cannot be avoided, that it originated 
from a normal plant. This normal plant we found to 
consist of fronds formed of a central stipe tapering to a 
point, and provided with side branches or pinnre on 
the same plan and set on at an angle of about 30° ; 
these being again divided on the same principle, the 
whole forming a feathery frond of lanceolate outline. 
On the back of every frond there are millions and mil¬ 
lions of microscopic spores, which, during the indefi¬ 
nitely long life of the plant, are shed around and blown 
about in countless myriads year after year, not only from 
this plant but from thousands like it in the vicinity. 
Suddenly one, and apparently only one, of these spores 
yields a plant in which all the divisions, pinnre, 
pinnules, and pinulets are not only duplicated but 
*A pap;r read at the Horticultural Club 
F.L.S, 
by C. T, Druery, Esq., 
much narrowed, and set at about right angles to each 
other. The outline of the frond is also greatly narrowed, 
and finally the tips of the pinnre and the frond 
itself are many times divided, so as to form heavy 
tassels. Finally, it is abundantly sporiferous, and every 
spore is capable of reproducing its structural peculiari¬ 
ties ; though, strange to say, the offspring are generally 
if not always easily distinguishable from the parents by 
a certain coarseness, the fine cutting of the ultimate 
division being, as it were, blurred and less sharply 
defined. On the other hand, I have raised hundreds of 
this form, and never saw a case of reversion to the nor¬ 
mal form. This case of variation is an extreme type, 
involving as it does not merely a cresting but also an 
essential variation in plan of structure, a combination 
of peculiarities which has so far not been discovered in 
connection with any other family of Ferns, though 
some few varieties are characterised occasionally by 
cruciate pinnae. This Fern was found growing wild by 
the roadside in Scotland, and though the station was 
assiduously searched then and later, no second example 
or intermediate form was or has since been discovered 
there or elsewhere. 
Another extreme form was Athyrium F.-f. acroc- 
ladon, found also by the roadside on a Yorkshire 
moor. Here the rachis and rachides possess such a 
tendency to division, that the normal feathery nature 
of the frond is utterly lost, and the plant resembles a 
number of mossy balls crowning the much-divided 
stipes. Here, again, no intermediate form was found 
in the vicinity, and the necessary conclusion is that it 
originated at one jump, as it were, from the normal 
form. This case, however, is not so striking as that of 
A. F. -f. Victoria, since the ramification of the rachis is 
a comparatively common form of variation, and is only 
carried in this instance to an extreme extent. This 
again yields, I believe, fairly true progeny, in one of 
which the division is carried to such an extent that the 
whole plant resembles a ball of velvet. 
This power of cresting, in which the normally acute 
points of the rachis and rachides, of frond, pinnre, and 
even of the pinnules become dilated and divided, seems 
common to all or nearly all of the British Ferns, only 
one or two species having failed so far to afford 
instances ; and since, as I have said, the more marked 
departures have been found wild, it becomes a question 
whether exotic Ferns all over the world will not yield 
instances of the same phenomenon when sought for by 
an eye accustomed to the quest ; for it is a peculiar 
fact that until the sight becomes habituated to the 
search for special features, the eye unconsciously is 
liable to overlook and pass by the most striking 
characteristics. Hence a botanist whose speciality is 
the discovery of new species only, would readily detect 
an altogether new plant, but fail to note that one 
amongst a crowd of familiar plants possessed unusual 
features. As an instance of this, I recollect once 
hunting over a lot of Scolopendriums with a good 
general botanist, and I found no less than seventeen 
ramose and otherwise abnormal plants among them 
before he found one, yet in his own element he would 
point out an uncommon flower on the other side of the 
field where I could hardly discern a plant at all. To 
this may be attributed the fact that so few abnormal 
exotics, and especially tropical Ferns, have been found, 
though I venture to think the quest is worth while ; 
for let the scientest term them monstrosities if he will, 
I contend that in many cases the abnormal forms 
infinitely transcend the normal ones in beauty,* while 
admitting freely that, on the other hand, many are far 
more curious than beautiful. Anyone who has seen a 
grand specimen of Lastrea cristata, our nearest approach 
to a Tree Fern, and splendidly tasselled, must admit 
that such a cresting on Dicksonia antarctica or a fine 
Cyathea dealbata would be simply magnificent, and I 
am sure that somewhere in the untravelled habitats of 
these Ferns their crested forms are quietly awaiting 
their discoverer. 
( To he contiimed.) 
To find the capacity of a cylindrical cistern in 
gallons, multiply the area in inches by the height in 
inches, and divide the product by 231. To find the 
capacity of a four sided vessel in gallons, find the 
cubical contents by multiplying the length, breadth 
and height in inches, and divide by 231. 
* Compare the normal Athyrium with the best plumosnm, and 
the difference is as great as between a common goose feather and 
that of an ostrich. 
NOTES FROM CUERDON HALL. 
Bap.ely, if ever, have I seen such pots of Mignonette 
as I saw recently in the gardens at Cuerdon Hall, 
near Preston. The plants are grown in pots, varying 
in size from 4 1 ins. to 9 ins. Those in the smaller 
sizes are brought into flower in the middle of March, 
and were getting seedy when I saw them a week ago, 
but there was ample proof from the vigorous growth 
and size of the plants that they had been really fine. 
All the pots contain more than one plant, but are 
sown in the small size and potted on. Three were in 
9 in. pots, and the best of these was a compact bush 3 ft. 
through, 2 ft. 6 ins. high from the rim of the pot, with 
leaves of a beautiful dark green colour right down to 
the pot. The other two plants were, if anything, taller, 
but not so broad, and with much stronger and longer 
spikes, one of which I measured and found to be no 
less than 16 ins. in length, including seed-vessels and 
flowers. 
Gloxinias are well grown here, too, and in flower 
every month of the year. They are brought forward 
in batches of twelve to eighteen ; those expanding their 
flowers now promise to be good, and the largest is 27 
ins. over in a 51 in. pot. I have only once before seen 
these so good, and that at Messrs. James Yeitch & 
Sons, Chelsea. Early forcing is successfully carried 
out in this garden. Strawberry gathering commenced 
this season on the 1st of March, and Melons, Peaches, 
and Grapes, were ready in the third week in May. 
Four kinds of Strawberries are forced, Keen’s Seedling, 
La Grosse Sucre, President, and Sir Joseph Paxton, 
and they have done so well this season, that not one 
per cent, has failed to flower, after the first batch, 
and as evidence of their vigour, I may mention that as 
many as fifty flowers have been counted on some plants. 
The runners are secured as early as possible and laid in 
small pots, and as soon as rooted they are taken from 
the parent plants and potted on. 
Cucumbers and Melons are grown in the same house, 
the former occupying the north side in summer and 
the south in winter, and I have seen them look as well 
in January as we occasionally see them in June. 
Tomatos are also grown largely here, huge clusters 
hanging over your head when passing through the 
Pine stoves, where many good-shaped fruits of the 
latter afford good evidence of the treatment they 
receive. In short, I may say, that every department, 
both indoors and out, reflects much credit on the 
industry of Mr. Roberts, the head gardener. — Visitor. 
- ->:£<- - 
HERBACEOUS AND ALPINE 
PLANTS. 
Talk of judging ! it was a very serious business 
indeed to have to deal with these, at the great National 
Horticultural Exhibition at Manchester, as they were 
so numerous and wonderfully fine. In the nursery¬ 
man s class, for the best collection of hardy herbaceous, 
bulbous, and Alpine plants, Messrs. James Dickson & 
Sons, Newton Nurseries, Chester, were the only 
exhibitors, putting up a fine group, among which ap¬ 
peared Liliums, Delphiniums, Alstrcemerias, Spirreas, 
Gladiolus, Iris, Preonies, Canterbury Bells, Phloxes, 
Dianthus, '&c. On the opposite to this they set up -a 
group of hardy herbaceous and bulbous plants, in or 
out of flower, all of them large and handsomely 
grown specimens ranking in importance next to the 
Orchids. In this class also they were the only ex¬ 
hibitors, setting up fine pots of the following Lilies: 
Speciosum rubrum, candidum tigrinum, Brownii, tes- 
taceum, giganteum, longiflorum, Szovitzianum, auratum, 
and Harrisii; (Enotliera Youngi (yellow, very showy), 
Delphiniums, Miss Mary Russell (bright blue and 
bronzy pink), and Belladonna, Carnation Gloire de 
Nancy, Gladiolus Blushing Bride (white with carmino 
stains on the upper florets), G. Ardens and G. Colvilli 
albus, Anthuricum liliastrum, Campanula percisifolia 
fl. pi., C. Burglialti, C. Van Houttei, Lupinus poly- 
phyllus, and its variety albus, Hyaeinthus candicans, 
Dianthus magnificus (crimson), Spirrea aruncus, Tulipa 
persica, Francoa appendiculata, &c. Never before have 
we seen anything in the way of exhibition herbaceous 
plants_ done so well as these. In the class for forty 
Alpine plants, Messrs. T. W. & A. Standsfield, nursery¬ 
men, Sale, were first with a fine well-grown evenly- 
balanced lot grown in large pans, of Primula sikki- 
meusis, P. farinosa, Armeria maritima alba, Lychnis 
viscaria splendens, Saponaria ocymoides superba, Pent- 
