118 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 23, 1886. 
Leaving Clapton, a few minutes’ journey by train 
lands us at Busli Hill Park, some seven miles away, 
and near tlie station is tlie branch establishment, which 
the Messrs. Low started some six years ago, and which 
is about forty-three acres in extent. Here has been 
built, on a conveniently arranged plan, a block of 
forty-six large, light, yet substantial houses, perfect 
models of what such structures should be for plant 
cultivation, and heated by some fifteen powerful 
boilers. At first the Rochford boilers were put down, 
but experience has taught the firm that the terminal- 
end saddle is the most economical form, and the latest 
boilers put in are of this pattern. 
Here are grown great numbers of climbing Roses 
in pots—Marechal Mel, Gloire de Dijon and others, 
averaging 14 ft. in length, a good number of pot Vines, 
immense quantities of decorative Pelargoniums, Azaleas, 
Camellias, Solanums, Hydrangeas, Heaths, Cytisus, 
Cyclamens, Marguerites, Palms, Maidenhair Ferns, &c. 
In smaller quantities I noted a pretty lot of Acacia 
armata, some of them standards, with clean stems 
about 18 ins. high—rather a novelty ; Acacia Drurn- 
mondi, fine bushy little plants ; Cyperus distans, a 
neat compact plant, green leaved and dwarfer than 
alternifolius, altogether a better market plant; Tea 
Roses in 48’s and 32’s, very good ; Solanum jasminoides, 
a fine stock of one of the best of white-flowering 
climbers ; Azalea amcena, a very fine lot ; Tecoma 
jasminioides, dwarf plants in 48’s, full of scarlet 
blossoms ; Jasminum graeillimum, full of buds for 
winter blooming ; and a host of other things I had not 
time to make a note of. 
The Messrs. Low have gone largely into the culti¬ 
vation of fruit trees, and the large quarters of all kinds 
attest alike the quality of the soil and the ability that 
has been brought to bear on the manipulation of the 
trees. Quarter after quarter is inspected, and both 
standards and trained trees of Apples, Pears, Plums, 
Peaches, Nectarines and Apricots are all of the most 
admirable character. Aueubas are also largely grown, 
as are the golden-leaved and other Euonymuses—very 
bright in colour. Meed I say more—though these 
establishments well deserve it—to make good the 
assertion I set out with, that the Messrs. Lorv’s 
establishments are -wonderful places ?— Sabrina. 
-- 
AN EVENING WITH FERNS. 
(Continued from p. 103 .) 
Another plant’ of this division is Woodwardia 
radicans : this plant will make fronds 6 ft. to 8 ft. 
long, which are distinctly pendulous. To see - this 
Fern in its beauty, it should be grown in a large 
basket, or planted on a projecting rock at one end 
of the house, where room can be given for the growth 
and display of its lengthy, light green fronds. In the 
Fernery at Tatton Park there are several masses of this 
plant, thoroughly established in such a position ; and 
the effect of from eighty to one hundred fronds, 
averaging 8 ft. in length, with a young plant growing 
from the tip of the fronds, is one of noble appearance 
as well as majestic beauty. Grown cool, this plaut is 
not so readily attacked with thrip as when it is placed 
in the stove. 
Passing from these of more massive proportions, we 
will notice that lovely class of Trichomanes, Todeas 
and Hymenophyllums, known as filmy Ferns. These 
charming plants have a distinct and peculiar attractive¬ 
ness of their own, and, perhaps, they are seen best when 
planted out in a rustic Fernery where their creeping 
rhizomes may run along the rocks and soil and 
gradually push up and unfold their almost transparent 
fronds. The majority of these require a greenhouse 
temperature ; but a house or division must be set apart 
if a large number of them are grown. “Where only a 
few are cultivated, a small handlight or glazed portion 
in the house can be devoted to them. The conditions 
for their successful culture are a cool moist atmosphere 
where shade is always given, and where the admission 
of air does not cause the fronds or the surroundings of 
the plants to dry up quickly. Many of the species can 
be grown in pans with a bell-glass over them. Ample 
room must be allowed for their development, and if the 
inside of the glass is occasionally wiped dry it prevents 
an excess of humidity, which is apt to cause sourness, 
followed by sickness and death. Fire-heat should not 
under any circumstances be given to this class so as to 
injure them. If the foliage dries rapidly, thrip will 
appear, and once these tender subjects are thus affected, 
it is extremely difficult to clear away the pests; for 
fumigating—the surest remedy—is apt to become very 
injurious, because the fronds are almost always moist, 
in which state the fumes from Tobacco smoke are as 
bad as the pest itself. Todea superba may be grown in 
a glass erection where there is no fire-heat at all. Here, 
where the surroundings are humid and regular, it will 
push fine clusters of fronds, which gradually unfold, and 
soon have a light green feathery appearance. This 
species may be grown outside in the hardy rockery, when 
it is best to cover it with a bell-glass or handlight ; for 
though it will stand 10 or more degrees of frost, and 
continual covering with snow, it does not under these 
trying conditions succeed so well as when precaution is 
taken against these severe and low degrees of tempera¬ 
ture. A brick pit with a sliding light is a capital place 
to stand these Todeas in, of course, shading them as 
much as all other Ferns. The Ivillarney Fern, 
Trichomanes radicans, can also be grown under exactly 
similar conditions. It will also grow freely in a 
“Wardian or glass case in a window. If much sunshine 
enter the -window, it would be preferable to plant one 
or two more hardy sorts not so easily injured by 
changes of temperature. 
“When well-grown basket Ferns are always objects of 
beauty and interest—and, truly, some species are of 
such pendulous and drooping habit that it is only 
when thus managed that their beauty can be thoroughly 
seen and admired. Some of the Adiantums are charm¬ 
ingly adapted for this method of treatment; A. assimile, 
A. cuneatum and its crested varieties, A. Capillus-veneris 
lunulatum, Asplenium flabellifolium, Prsemorsum 
laceratum, Drynaria diversifolia, Goniophlebium sub- 
auriculatum, G. piloselloides and G. verrucosum. Many 
of the Davallias, Nephrolepis, Mphobolus, kc., are 
among those that display their beauty to the greatest 
advantage when suspended over the path, and the 
drooping habit can be readily observed. Adiantum 
Farleyense and Lycopodium csesium are very beautiful 
when thus grown. In planting the Ferns in baskets, 
it is better that shallow rather than deep baskets be 
used, wire ones being preferable to wooden or earthen¬ 
ware ones. “When a selection of plants has been made 
for placing in baskets, first put a layer of sphagnum 
moss over the wire so as to prevent the soil washing 
through. The compost should be rather rough ; peat, 
charcoal broken small, and sharp sand are most suit¬ 
able. Place the plants in the basket so that the crowns 
may be just above the level of the sides, fill in with 
soil, and then press a little moss around the upper 
edge so that a little space is made round the plants to 
hold the water when it is given. Into this sphagnum 
some pieces of Lycopodium denticnlatum may be 
pressed, which will quickly root, and in a very short 
space of time the whole will be covered with a beautiful 
green coating. As this Lycopodium grows very quickly, 
it will be necessary every now and again to pick some 
portion off, otherwise the crowns are apt to be smothered, 
and slugs and damp are likely to cause injury. 
Where Ferns are much in request for house decoration, 
I have found it an excellent plan to have a number of 
plain wire baskets made, that will just fit the vases or 
jardinieres, which may stand upon the tables or cabinets 
in the mansion. Into the wire baskets place such 
plants as Adiantum cuneatum, A. Pacotti, Pteris cretica, 
P. serrulata cristata, Asplenium alatum, Gymno- 
gramrna tartarica, G. ehrysophylla, Polystiehum 
capense, Davallia hemiptera, and others of a close 
compact habit of growth. These, when suspended, 
will make a stout and hard growth, and if covered with 
the Lycopodium, as suggested, nothing more is 
required in the way of preparation than unfastening 
the handle and placing them in the vase in which they 
are to stand whilst in use in the dwelling-house. In 
the course of a week or ten days, take them away and 
replace with others, and but little injury to the plants 
will be the result. A few Ferns may be grown on stout 
blocks, and suspended in the Fernery. These, if kept 
sufficiently moist, will be a source of pleasure, because 
of their rustic and novel appearance. Such kinds as 
Platycerium grande, P. stemmaria, P. biforme, P. 
alcicorne, Drynaria eoronans, D. Mussefolium, D. mor- 
bilosum, several of the Oleandras (such as articulata and 
nodosa), and others having stout fleshy rhizomes and 
single or but slightly-branched fronds. A rough piece 
of wood should be chosen, drive a few copper tacks 
into it to hold the wire, then place some peat on the 
block, put the plant on it, and make it secure by pass¬ 
ing some copper wire over it and securing it to the 
tacks ; a stout piece of wire should be used to suspend 
it. When thus grown, it will be necessary to water 
them more often than if placed in pots. Still, this 
condition is more in accordance with nature, and if 
care and attention are given, such plants make nice 
specimens in a short time. Davallia elegans, dissecta, 
and Mariesii may be grown on blocks, and as these 
make long creeping rhizomes, various shapes and forms 
may be quickly made, the whole being soon covered 
with bright green fronds. 
Hitherto I have been speaking principally of plants 
that are in pots, baskets, &c., easy to move about, 
whose position can be quickly altered, either in the 
house, or for display, or decoration in the mansion. 
In this form they can be used in a variety of ways, and 
excellent effects aTe quickly made, and as rapidly 
broken up. But if a permanent effect is to be created, 
there is no better way than having a structure entirely 
set apart for a planted-out Fernery. Here we see the 
plants under conditions which are much more natural, 
and if associated with Begonias, Selaginellas, Ficus 
rapens, and one or two other close-growing plants, 
some charming effects are produced, and the plants 
luxuriate much more freely than when cramped in 
pots or pans. A house of this description should 
not have any side lights fixed ; the walls should be 
carried up to the eaves, so as to allow of some fine 
effects being made with the rocks and plants. The 
walks should not be straight, nor should the whole of 
the interior be seen as soon as an entrance is made into 
the house ; but by a rise or fall in the walks, the 
building of rough portions, and the projecting of stout 
pieces of rock or boulders, many fresh and pleasing 
views may be made. Do not use much tufa stone, as 
very few Ferns take kindly to this substance ; but 
limestone, sandstone, and others of a porous nature, 
which will retain a good share of moisture, are much 
to be preferred. It will also be noticed that young 
seedlings come up much more quickly" and numerous 
on stone of this character than on the hard and im¬ 
permeable tufa. Derbyshire spar is also objectionable ; 
it is not porous, very cold, and, though pleasant to look 
upon, is not found to be advantageous to the plants. 
The winding paths should be made of gravel and 
cement, worked with a trowel as it is spread, so as to 
get a rather smooth surface, and yet slightly raised in 
the centre. Such a walk will last for years, and is 
more in accordance with the surroundings than stone¬ 
paving or lattice-work, or the horrible terra-cotta 
work, beautiful though it may be to look upon, but 
quite out of place in a fernery. Such a path as that 
described may be walked irpon after any quantity of 
water is thrown about, which could not be the case 
with level flags or encaustic tiles. The drainage of the 
beds must be good, pipes laid along to the outside 
drains must be put in, and the beds should have, be¬ 
sides, a good layer of brick-ends or clinkers, to ensure 
a rapid passing away of water ; on these some rough 
peat-or turf must be placed, and then proceed to the 
planting and building up of the rockwork. Do not 
make the spaces for the plants very large, as the roots 
prefer to run over and among the rockwork. In the 
soil that is used let there be plenty of crocks, broken 
bricks, or charcoal. In planting, endeavour to place 
in the lower spaces some that are tall upright growers, 
and in the higher elevations place many that have 
a distinctly drooping habit, whilst on bold projections 
let there be those placed that are distinct and compact, 
and are worthy of standing out somewhat apart from 
their fellow occupants. Do not overcrowd, but en¬ 
deavour to have the whole of the surface covered with 
moss, Ferns, or lowmreeping plants. If a pool of 
water can be formed, so as to reflect some of the fronds, 
much beauty will be added. But do not place mirrors 
anywhere, as I consider these are objectionable and 
unnecessary. Fountains and cascades may be intro¬ 
duced if the space will permit, but where the room is 
limited, be content with the Ferns and rocks. Do not 
attempt too much, or disappointment may follow ; 
do not fasten virgin cork on the walls, or doses of 
woodlice and snails will be sure to harbour behind 
them. If any part of the wall is to be covered, then 
place cement and sandstone upon it, to give it a rustic 
appearance. A house of this description will be suit¬ 
able for many sorts, care being taken that little fire- 
heat is given except during the winter ; for since man-v 
of the plants must be near the pipes, the chances are 
that they may get very dry and ultimately shrivel and 
die away. 
