August 13, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
789 
sent out for bedding purposes, in one of the houses. 
All are grown in 32-size pots, and are of a suitable 
size for various purposes. None of them are named 
but simply assorted into colours such as Yellow, 
Scarlet, White, Rose, Buff, Orange, Magenta, etc. 
The shape of the flowers is all that could be desired 
for bedding purposes, being in many cases quite or¬ 
bicular and well thrown above the foliage on good 
foot-stalks. 
TODEAS 1^’ THE OPEN 
GROUND. 
When visiting Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead's Fern 
Nursery, Sale, near Manchester, a short time ago, I 
was rather surprised to see several plants of Todea 
superba, and also one or two of T. pellucida, grow¬ 
ing in the open ground, and in perfect condition, 
without any artificial protection whatever. Mr. 
Birkenhead informed me that the plants had been 
injured by some means—I 
forget now exactly what; 
but I believe they had 
been out either on hire or 
for decoration, and had 
been returned in a very 
emaciated and sickly con¬ 
dition. Thinking that 
they were too far gone for 
recovery, the proprietors 
had them turned out of the 
pots and planted on a 
spare piece of ground close 
to where the hardyBritish 
Ferns are grown, and 
close under the shade of 
some young trees, no 
pains whatever being 
taken with them, but they 
were stuck in the ground 
as one would put an or¬ 
dinary plant which was 
expected to die but still 
faint hopes cherished of 
its recovery. 
They were planted, an 
in a sense forgotten. Con¬ 
trary to all expectations 
the plants revived and 
commenced to grow, at 
first very steadily and then 
vigorously, until ultimate¬ 
ly fronds almost as fine 
as any specimens under 
glass were developed. 
These fronds were not 
only large and full but 
were of the deepest green 
and truly handsome in ap¬ 
pearance. The plants 
were not syringed, nor 
even watered ; the provi¬ 
sions of nature seemed to 
supply all their require¬ 
ments. The ground was 
moist.andasrainhad been 
falling plentifully for some 
time past, the fronds had 
been kept pretty moist 
and thus artificial atten¬ 
tion was not needed. 
I mention this fact merely to show to your readers 
that Filmy Ferns do not necessarily need the pro¬ 
tection of glass as is supposed by many, but they will 
thrive ofttimes under what seems to be very adverse 
conditions, as in the instance just cited. These 
Ferns are also capable of withstanding several 
degrees of frost with impunity, and I myself have 
seen not only these but others of the Filmy Ferns 
safely pass through from ten to twelve degress of 
frost. It used to be a popular notion that Filmy 
F'erns needed a very special treatment in order to 
ensure their successful culture, and glass cases were 
accordingly constructed and the plants put in them 
and arranged just as curiosities are arranged in our 
museums. The case was never opened except to 
w'ater and syringe the plants, and — no wonder either 
—many of the plants never looked well. Those days 
of superstition and folly are now buried in oblivion, 
thanks to the progress of horticultural science ; and 
none but the most foolish would ever think of reviving 
them, and now even "Filmies” are treated in a 
rational manner. 
A few plants of Todea superba and T. pellucida, 
and also a few of the Hymenophyllums and 
Trichomanes dotted about in suitable and specially 
constructed positions in our hardy ferneries would 
greatly add to the attractiveness of these places. 
With a very little scheming, suitable arrangements 
for their reception could be made, and where a 
running stream or a basin happens to be near, a 
miniature waterfall might with ease be constructed 
and the F'erns planted where they would come in 
contact with the spray therefrom. A veritable little 
Paradise might thus be formed, and the lines which 
Sir Walter Scott wrote concerning the Tady Fern 
might appropriately be applied to these : — 
" Where the copse-wood is the greenest, 
Where the fountain glitters, glitters sheenest, 
Where the morning dew lies longest, — 
There the Lady F'ern grows strongest.” 
C. H. B. 
BEGONIA FRINGED 
WHITE. 
Improvement continues to be made in the shape of 
the flowers both in the single and double varieties of 
tuberous Begonias. F'ringed White is single, as 
may be seen by reference to our illustration ; and 
the flowers about as circular as a compass could 
make them. Their most striking feature is the 
dcubly crenate or toothed margin, and, being pure 
white, the name given is very appropriate. The 
golden yellow stamens form a small tuft in the 
centre. The stems of the plant are stout, stiff, erect 
and about 15 in. high. The flower stalks are also 
stiff and erect, so that no staking is required. The 
obliquely heart-shaped leaves are large and more or 
less lobed, and long pointed, although some of them 
are orbicular, and lobed with red edges. All these 
characters point to B. Veitchi or some of its close 
allies as the parents of this fine improvement. A 
race of fringed varieties would be very pretty, pro¬ 
vided the other qualities of the plant and flowers 
should come up to the standard of that under notice 
The illustration was prepared from a flower sent us 
by Messrs. J. I.aing & Sons, F'orest Flil), who raised 
the variety. 
-- 
PARSLEY. 
I do not know what position amongst vegetables 
Parsley enjoys in the North ; but 1 was surprised to 
see in a collection of vegetables from Scotland shown 
at the recent cottagers’ exhibition at Earl’s Court, 
I’arsley in pots as one of a collection of six varie¬ 
ties. Here in the South such a product never 
would be tolerated as a vegetable, and is chiefly em¬ 
ployed to furnish decoration for all ordinary vege¬ 
tables, especially in collections. It does seem as if 
a very wude margin had been allowed by the judges 
in this particular instance. The introduction of 
Parsley was all the more remarkable because only six 
kinds of vegetables were required. 
Admitted that the other 
five vegetables in the col¬ 
lection were excellent, 
still the introduction of 
the Parsley as a sixth 
would have made many 
judges disqualify the col¬ 
lection. I do not suppose 
that in any other competi¬ 
tion in any similar exhi¬ 
bition in the South of the 
Kingdom Parsley, even in 
pots, would be regarded 
as a bona fide vegetable, 
because we invariably re¬ 
quire proper edible vege¬ 
tables to be shown in col¬ 
lections, and Parsley is 
hardly such, except in 
soups, stuffings, or in 
other trifling [ways. I 
should be very sorry to see 
productsof thiskind regu¬ 
larly admitted into vege- 
table^collections especi¬ 
ally in the case of six soi ts 
or kinds only, as it should 
not be at all difficult for 
any competitor, cottager 
or otherwise, to show so 
many at this season of the 
year. 
As to Parsley for decora¬ 
tive purposes as grown in 
pots there is nothing 
whatever to be said against 
it. I noticed that Messrs. 
Dobbie & Co., of Rothe¬ 
say, had some very pretly 
plants in pots on their 
stand of vegetables and 
flowers at the same show, 
and gave a very pleasing 
effect. The northern Pars¬ 
ley seems to differ some¬ 
what from our London 
market treble curled in 
having finer leafage, and 
almost like the pretty but 
inconstant moss curled 
or fern - leaf Parsley. 
Doubtless it is a variety that finds much favour 
in the North, and may be hardier than is our south¬ 
ern strains, although we have little to complain of 
during ordinary winters.— A. D. 
-- 
ZINGIBER D’ARCEYI. 
The oblong-lanceolate leaves of this Gingerwort are 
of a light, shining green, and variegated with broad 
but irregular bands of creamy white along the 
margin. The stems attain heights from 12 in. to 
24 in. Like many other plants of this class it is well 
fitted for room decoration, and the variegation gives 
it a lively appearance. In all probability the creamy- 
white variegation would loose some of its brightness 
if the stems and foliage were developed in the 
relatively cool and dry atmosphere of a room, but 
they should be brought to their best in the stove and 
then transferred to the dwelling room, where they 
will keep in good condition as long as is desirable at 
a time. 
