32S 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 22, 1887. 
FILMY FERNS. 
In' answer to “A. F. S.’s” enquiry (p. 318) whether 
it is possible to grow filmy Ferns in an ordinary sitting- 
room, I submit the following. Some eight or nine 
years ago I took a great fancy for filmy Ferns, for 
which I made a "Wardian case, and placed it in my 
sitting-room window. I then obtained the following 
species, viz. :—Todea superha, T. pellucida, T. Wilkes- 
iana, Trichomanes radicans, T. r. war. dilatata, T. 
trichoideum, T. maximum, Hymenophyllum demissum, 
H. flexuosum, H. pulcherrimum, and H. Tunbridgense. 
The three Todeas I planted on the top of pieces about 
1 ft. long of a dead tree Fern stem, which I had pre¬ 
viously split up, and tied together again with stout 
wire, in order that the pieces might contain more 
soil. I then placed Todea pellucida in the centre of 
the case, T. superha on one side, and T. Wilkesiana 
on the other. At the base of Todea superba I planted 
Hymenophyllum demissum, pegging the creeping rhi¬ 
zomes to the old tree Fern stem, and at the base of 
T. pellucida I planted Trichomanes trichoideum, the 
rhizomes being pegged down in the same way. At the 
base of Todea Wilkesiana I planted Hymenophyllum 
Tunbridgense. The other species I planted in a row 
on either side of the Todeas. 
The results were in every way satisfactory, except in 
the case of Trichomanes maximum, which never grew 
much ; indeed, to-day it is not much larger than when 
I got it eight or nine years ago. This species, I fancy, 
requires more heat to grow it freely than what it 
enjoyed, especially in the winter months. The Tricho¬ 
manes and Hymenophyllums planted against the tree 
Fern stems soon covered them, and the effect produced 
was very pleasing. They received no additional heat 
than the sitting-room afforded, and were not even 
covered over on cold nights. The consequence was I 
often found them on a cold winter’s morning frozen 
hard, with drops of water hanging in icicles from the 
fronds, yet never found any evil results follow such 
treatment. Only a few days ago, Todea superba, which 
1 have removed to a stand covered with a large bell- 
glass, was frozen hard, as were also the other species 
growing in the Wardian case. All the species of filmy 
Ferns are pretty, but the little Trichomanes trichoideum 
is quite a gem among them. 
The soil I used for planting consisted of equal parts 
fibrous peat, chopped sphagnum and broken potsherds, 
with some silver sand and small pieces of charcoal all 
mixed together. As they became dry they were freely 
watered overhead, and the case kept close and shaded 
from sunshine. During the winter months they require 
very little water, not receiving any for two or three 
months sometimes. With the above treatment, Todea 
pellucida has produced itself freely from spores. As 
yet I have not observed seedlings from any of the 
others. A great number of other species come up, both 
native and exotic ; among native Ferns are two very 
remarkable forms of Scolopendrium vulgare. One is a 
small crisped digitately-crested variety, and the other 
a crested variegated form.— Dcvonhurst. 
-- 
FERTILITY OF ADIANTUM 
FARLEYENSE. 
The communication on this subject from your 
correspondent, Mr. James C. Durno, p. 290, conveys 
information of great interest. A further enlightenment 
on the question from him, when the spores he has 
obtained produce plants, will be looked forward to by 
many, I have no doubt. I never obtained spores from 
the plant myself, but when A. Farleyense was rare, a 
number of young plants, said by a very reliable authority 
to have been raised from spores taken from the true 
A. Farleyense, came into my hands. On maturing, 
however, they all turned out to be the plant known in. 
gardens as A. scutum, which seems to be precisely of 
the same habit as A. Farleyense except that the latter 
is more ample, on account of its bearing barren fronds. 
My own opinion is that none other than the fertile 
A, scutum will ever be obtained from the rarely pro¬ 
duced spores of A. Farleyense, as the spore-bearing 
portion is no longer Farleyense so far as that part of 
the plant is concerned, but the plant known as A. 
scutum, from which I have little doubt A. Farleyense 
sprang as a sport. The subject is a very interesting 
one, however, as such a theory is not altogether favoured 
by what we already know of the reproduction of ab¬ 
normal forms of Ferns from spores. Perhaps some of 
your correspondents could throw some light on the 
question by recording their observations in raising 
crested and garden varieties of Ferns. 
With respect to the plant referred to above as being 
generally known as Adiantum scutum in gardens, and 
which certainly appeared with us soon after A. Farley¬ 
ense, it should be stated that the late Mr. Thomas 
Moore identified it with A. Ghiesbreghtii, but some 
botanists refer it to A. tenerum. Whatever its affinity 
to A. tenerum may be from a botanical point of view, 
it is totally distinct as a garden plant, and none who 
had ever grown the true A. tenerum would confound 
with it the broad-fronded A. Ghiesbreghtii (scutum), 
which has young fronds, frequently tinged with pink, 
as in A. Farleyense .—James O'Brien. 
-->-X<»- 
PANSIES IN POTS. 
Of all my recollections of the Royal Nursery at 
Slough, thirty years ago, I think one of the most 
interesting was the culture of the fine English show 
Pansies in pots for exhibition. At that time prizes 
used to be offered at the May exhibition of the Royal 
Botanic Society for Pansies grown in pots, and in those 
days classes for them figured in the schedules of prizes 
of other societies also. I well remember the charming 
plants we used to produce in 21 and 32 size-pots, plants 
with five or six main shoots, each bearing one or two 
large, finely developed and perfectly marked flowers. 
The plants were always grown from cuttings struck 
in July and August. For this purpose cuttings are 
much better than divided plants or slips. As soon as 
the cuttings were well rooted they were potted in large 
thumb pots and placed in a cold frame, and by October 
they were shifted into large 60 or 48-size pots, according 
to their size. In selecting cuttings for potting, those 
are best that promise to put forth some main shoots at 
the base, and then nice branching specimens result. 
They were placed in a cold frame all the winter, and 
air given on all occasions, taking off the lights entirely 
in fine weather, and allowing the fine autumn rains to 
fall upon them ; when severe frosty weather set in 
the frame was carefully covered to keep it out. In 
February or early in March the plants were shifted into 
the blooming pots, using a rich free compost, good 
yellow loam, dung that was so friable as to rub to a 
powder, leaf-soil and some rough sand. As soon as 
the plants were established in their blooming pots, 
every encouragement was given ; they occupied a frame 
facing the south, but due precaution was taken that 
they did not become drawn, and no brown thrip3 were 
suffered to gather on them. As soon as the roots 
reached through to the sides of the pots ; some liquid 
manure was given, but sparingly, overdoses of this 
stimulant sometimes killing the plants ; as the sun 
gained in strength the frame was shifted to a cooler and 
moister place, and everything that could be done was 
done to produce large, stout and finely-laced flowers. 
The best liquid manure for Pansies is sheep’s dung 
and cow dung put into a tank with two divisions, the 
dung in one, and the other for the purpose of running 
the water from the dung into; two-thirds of clean water 
should be added to one-third of the liquid manure, and 
given to the plants in the morning. This is quite 
strong enough for vigorous growers ; in the case of 
weakly growers it will be better to use it a little more 
diluted. This is the way to have the fine show Pansies 
in all their beauty ; but how few grow Pansies in this 
manner. But let an amateur try, and if he is at all 
successful he will be pleased with the result. — E. D. 
-- 
A BOUQUET OF CHRISTMAS 
ROSES. 
After the long spell of severe weather with which 
We have been visited, it is gratifying to receive a box 
of Christmas Roses in full bloom, from plants grown in 
the open air and fully exposed to the rough weather. 
This was sent us by Mr. George Stamp, nurseryman, 
Bishop's Teignton, Devon. Amongst them was a 
distinct and pleasing variety of the Christmas Rose 
proper. This is described as Helleborus niger ruber, 
and must show its distinctive character best in the 
half-expanded'state. The sepals, in this condition, are 
of a lively rose-purple colour externally ; but when 
fully expanded, the inner ones are somewhat paler, 
while the interior face is white, appearing suffused with 
a pale blush by transmitted light ; but this also varies 
according to the stand-point of the beholder. A deep 
green blotch at the base of each sepal adds considerably 
to their attractiveness ; and the styles are red, as in 
H. niger altifolius, together with the purple-spotted 
stems of that variety. 
The other species and varieties sent belong to those 
not yet popularly recognised as Christmas Roses ; but 
which, moreover, from their distinctness, ought to be 
grown in every garden where hardy plants are treated 
as a speciality, and the gardener takes an interest in 
this class of plants. About twelve distinct species of 
Helleborus are known, and, with very few exceptions, 
might be cultivated in gardens to the great advantage 
of those who desire showy flowers for cutting purposes, 
either to group by themselves or mix with other orna¬ 
mental subjects that require either toning down, or 
brightening up as the case may be. There is ample 
material for such a purpose amongst the small number 
of cultivated species of Hellebore, and hybridists are 
yearly augmenting the number or improving their 
colours. 
In this group H. olympicus is conspicuous for the 
size of its white flowers, greatly assisted by a setting 
of large handsome deeply cut and serrated bracts. 
This is a feature not possessed by H. niger, and one of 
the recommendations of this class. The ordinary 
foliage is evergreen, but does not present such a fine 
fresh, green appearance as the leaves and bracts on the 
flower stems. The expanded flowers measured over 
3 ins. in diameter, and if they had received the pro¬ 
tection of a hand-glass would, no doubt, have been 
greatly improved in purity. A variety ot this species 
named H. o. Willy Schmidt is a great improvement on 
the type, with apparently somewhat smaller flowers. 
The whole flower has a lighter appearance when in bud 
than the parent, but as it expands the three inner ones 
are of a delicate, clean and pure white, with a pale green 
blotch at the base. A variety named H. guttatus Frau 
Irene Heiuemann, has evidently much of the blood in it of 
that truly grand Hellebore, H. colchicus. The sepals in 
bud are of a deep purple, but internally are spotted, or 
rather closely punctate all over with this colour on a paler 
ground. The petals, usually green in most species, are 
tipped with purple, and the whole flower relieved in the 
centre by a mass of pale yellow stamens. It is a hand¬ 
some kind, and together with the other forms belonging 
to H. colchicus, should receive the best attention from 
cultivators. The flowers are distinct, with a deep 
peculiar shade of purple that is by no means common 
amongst flowers, especially amongst out-door winter¬ 
flowering plants. For this reason they have a telling 
effect, whether cultivated alone for their own intrinsic 
beauty, or as a contrast to the late-flowering varieties of 
H. niger, for mixing with white flowers of its own class, 
or other perfectly distinct subjects. 
H. atro-rubens is a distinct species, but there are 
evidently several forms, of it in cultivation, differing 
chiefly or solely in the intensity of the purple colour. 
Next to H. niger it seems also to be one of the most 
commonly cultivated Hellebores in gardens. There 
are pale rosy purple forms, with a green blotch at the 
base of the sepals, but the specimens sent us are of a 
fine deep purple externally, and this is even intensified 
on the inner face, while the two inner sepals are very 
fine. There is no danger of confusing this with H. 
colchicus or any of its varieties, seeing that the latter 
has flowers of a deep violet-purple, often suffused with a 
glaucous bloom, especially later on in the season, while 
the flowers of H. atro-rubens are of a reddish purple, 
more or less intense, according to the variety. 
-■»£<«- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM GOLDEN 
GEM. 
This is a new Japaneso variety, which has been 
introduced as a valuable late-flowering novelty, and last 
week was exhibited in such perfectly fresh condition 
by Mr. Robert Owen, of Maidenhead, as to well deserve 
the good opinions that have been given of it. It is a 
decorative variety, of much the same stamp as Boule 
de Neige, being of good habit, free-blooming and 
naturally late ; the flowers when they are open are of 
a bronze-crimson shade, but soon turn to pure bright 
yellow. Mr. Owen obtained First Class Certificates for 
it from the floral committees of both the Royal 
Horticultural and National Chrysanthemum Societies, 
with blooms cut from plants in 4S-pots, and which, he 
informed us, had required much heat to get them out 
for the dates of the meetings. M*e have enough 
varieties of Chrysanthemums in all conscience, but 
naturallv-late bloomers are a desideratum, and as such 
we welcome the appearance of Golden Gem. 
