THE GARDENING WORLD 
377 
February 9 , 1901 . 
the best quality of truss indeed, bard pruning is 
absolutely necessary in nearly all cases. Where the 
plants are only slightly pruned one can generally 
expect a greater profusion of flowers, but quality is 
sacrificed at the expense of quantity. The needs of 
the case, or the taste of your employer, should deter¬ 
mine how the work should be done. 
Old trees to be pruned .—Admirer : We know that 
many old gentlemen are loathe to allow anything to 
be done to what they call their grand old trees.” 
Still when you see that the trees are degenerating, 
and are indeed dangerous o the lives of persons, it 
is but fit and proper of you to point out where the 
remedy lies. If you sug ested how the removal of 
the limbs would act, and pointed out the after effects, 
we should think your employer would be only too 
pleased to sanction your proposals. If he is not, 
you can simply retain your own counsel, which, 
however, will not be quite satisfactory. 
Sulphate of ammonia — G. H. M.: Farmers and 
market gardeners use large quantities of this valu¬ 
able fertiliser for their crops in springtime. As sold 
it is a greyish white salt-like substance, and is manu- 
A BRITISH FERNERY IN WINTER. 
In the summer of 1894, I had the honour of contri¬ 
buting a few notes to The Gardening World on 
British Ferns, the same being accompanied wiih a 
photographic reproduction entitled “ A Peep into a 
British Fernery.” In those notes I dealt mainly 
with the summer aspect of these beautiful Crypto¬ 
gams. On this occasion I desire to emphasise their 
value for winter decoiation, which I think the present 
illustration will enable me to sufficiently prove. 
Anyhow the print in question represents the 
rockery side of my fernery which is 20 ft. by 12 ft., 
and will at least show something of the quality and 
varietal quantity of this charming class of plants. 
Mr. J. H. Wright, Essex Road, Acton—himself a 
lover of British Ferns—is the author of the photo, 
which was effected on January 6th last, under 
adverse weather. 
The thermometer registered three degrees of frost, 
accompanied by a biting blizzard, while fitful snow- 
clouds veiled effectually our life-inspiring luminary. 
Moreover the glass structure was covered with ice 
and the depositions of the fog, although it had 
been washed down a few days before. Hence it 
will be observed that the poor amateur—or profes- 
The Hartstongues (Scolopendriums) are, just now, 
in fine form and great variety ; too numerous, in fact, 
to show their individual merits. A single specimen 
pot plant of S. vulgare var. crispum, however, may 
be specially mentioned. 
The Hard and Soft Shield Ferns (Polystichums) 
exhibit much cutting and grace of character. The 
one on the extreme left of the picture—one of 
several—is P. aDgulare var. decompositum (PearsoD), 
an elegant Fern; while the one in the hanging- 
basket at the end of the house is Wollaston's pro¬ 
liferous variety. 
The Male Ferns (Lastreas) are noted for their 
masculine character, the " King ” of the section (L 
pseudo-mas cristata) is, however, somewhat out of 
focus, although it may be dimly discerned in the 
neighbourhood of the hanging-basket aforesaid, 
towering upwards towards the light. It has quite a 
tree-like habit. 
A seedling specimen occupies a prominent position 
in the foreground. In a winter picture, too, the 
Polypodies (P. vulgare) always lend their charms, 
and grown in wire baskets suspended from the roofs 
these charms are largely augmented. The first one 
is a wild find having broad fronds and acute pinDae; 
A British Fernery in Winter. 
factured from ammonia liquor at the gas works. It 
is easily soluble in water. 
Sulphate of lime.— G. H M.: This produff is 
commercially known as gypsum. It can be applied 
advantageously to all soils deficient in lime. The 
silicates in the soil are decomposed or distintegrated 
as it were, the potash being liberated. On light 
soils it has a slight effect in making them more 
retentive ; and of course the lime acts in sweetening 
peaty or humic soils. 
American Blackberries.— J. T. R .: The good 
varieties of Blackberries, i.e.. Brambles (Rubus 
fruticosus) are mostly of American origin, this being 
one of the fruits which the British grower has rather 
left alone. Those mostly in favour are Dorchester, 
Lawton, Kittatinnv, Wilson Junior, and laciniatus. 
Wilson Junior is sometimes grown under glass in 
Scotland. The fruit of all of them makes excellent 
tarts or preserves. The culture is in nearly all 
respects similar to that of the Raspberry. We have 
grown some of these Brambles against a west wall 
with good results. A trellis might even be more 
commendable, however. Several of the British 
Brambles are also cultivated in some gardens. 
sional gardener for that matter—has much to endure 
in and about the purlieus of our modern and mons¬ 
trous Babylon. Glass, then, is a sine qua non in the 
successful cultivation of British Ferns in affected 
areas, if only to intercept those tar-like carbonaceous 
particles of filth which, otherwise, would be deposited 
on the Ferns. 
Given this protective covering, and an intelligent 
interest in their other requirements, there is no 
reason why anyone should not become possessed of 
a simdar collection. To amateurs with unheated 
houses, they ought to be a ' boon and a blessing.’’ 
And as there are thousands of such houses in our 
garden loving land, which are more or less of a 
stigma on their owners, I would suggest, as one way 
of redemption, the subject of British Ferns. What 
more enjoyable when “ on pleasure bent,” to turn 
aside and "hunt” for ferny forms? What more 
interesting than to " find " a worthy souvenir ? 
Many such adorn my rockery ; and even if the 
quality is not, as yet, resplendent, the time, the 
place, the circumstance, is recorded as a happy 
memory ! 
Most of the Ferns, however, on the rockery are 
seedlings and, in consequence, are doubly interest¬ 
ing. 
the second comes from Cornwall and rejoices in the 
name of P. v. var. cornubiense, otherwise known as 
elegantissimum ; the third is of Welsh origin, and 
represents the plumose form of the species—P. v. 
var. cambiicum ; the fourth occupies a broad shallow 
pot, and is the result of a cross between a crested 
and a bifid form ; the fifth basket is a miscellaneous 
assortment of self-sown Ferns, mostty Hartstongues. 
This is crowded with plants in all stages of growth, 
and shows the lightness and microscopic character 
of the spore, for all these plants are the result of 
wafted spores. Enough, however, has been said to 
indicate the value of hardy Ferns for town and 
suburb. The construction or configuration of the 
rockery itself is of little moment, for if the other 
conditions are favourable the Ferns will soon 
obliterate all irregularities of outline, or defect in 
the builder’s want of art. In a limited area it would 
not be wise to attempt the " Alps,” but all can aim 
at a "bit of nature” that would not disgrace a 
Devon or Cornish glen. If, perchance, more light 
is needed, or if more facts, more Dames, or more 
details are in request, I have no hesitation in stating 
that all these, and more, may be found in Mr. C. T, 
Druery’s (F.L.S.) artistic and authoritative little 
book on " Choice British Ferns,” which is published 
