8 
W. A. MANDA, INC., SOUTH ORANGE, N. J. 
Meritorious Novelties of Former Years at 
Greatly Reduced Prices 
Polypodium Mandaianum ( Manda ) 
Among- the multitude of plants which I have introduced during my career, there is 
none that has impressed me as much as the Polypodium which we are offering now. 
It is a plant that has grown in favor from year to year, and in its years of propagation 
developing- new beauty and an additional quality as plant or cut green for decoration. 
Great admiration of the plant is shown by every one who has had the fortune to see 
this wonderful plant growing or exhibited. It has carried everything before it, and stands 
to-day as the First Novelty not only in America, but with the whole horticultural world. 
The plant is very free-growing and makes beautiful specimens in all sizes, from 5-inch 
pots up to large specimens in 20-inch tubs. 
It is also a basket plant. A plant fastened on a piece of bark or cork will surpass in 
beauty and elegance any stag-horn fern. 
Planted on any old stump or tree fern trunk, it will soon make a head that will rival 
any tree fern in cultivation, and equally useful when planted on the wall of the greenhouse, 
where it will attach itself and make a dense covering of choice beautiful glaucus foliage. 
Not only as a plant, but also in a cut state, it is most valuable for fine decoration, 
being, perhaps, the most lasting green in existence, for I had fronds keep fresh eight 
weeks in water, which is remarkable, and I, therefore, cannot too strongly recommend 
this plant for any purpose desired. 
Different from anything in cultivation, and strongly reminds one of the classic Acan¬ 
thus of the Greeks. These beautiful fronds in the hands of a floral artist will fill a 
long-felt want. 
Price 
Good plant, 4-inch pot or pan, each. $1.00 
Strong plant, 5-inch pot or pan, each. 1.50 
Strong plant, 6-inch pot or pan, each. 2.50 
Extra strong plant, 8-inch pot or pan, each. 4.50 
Extra large specimen, each.$10.00 to $50.00 
Also plants on blocks or baskets or on tree fern stems, prices and sizes on application. 
(FROM "GARDENING ILLUSTRATED,” LONDON, JULY 27, 1912) 
A Fine Greenhouse Fern (Polypodium Mandaianum) 
"This fern, which was given a first-class certificate at Holland Park Show, comes to 
us from America. Specimens of it were shown by Mr. W. A. Manda, South Orange, N. J., 
at the International at Chelsea, but I believe it was not placed before the committee on 
that occasion. It, however, at that time attracted a good deal of attention as a very 
beautiful fern, which, from its bold habit, high ornamental qualities, and the lasting 
nature of its stout, leathery fronds, was likely to prove of considerable value for decora¬ 
tion. 
AS EXHIBITED BY W. A. MANDA AT NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW, CHICAGO 
The sensational plant of the First National Flower Show, -where it captured the first 
prize, a Silver Medal, as the Best New Fern not in commerce, and also the Grand Gold 
Medal for the best plant not yet an article of commerce, with the group as per above 
illustrations. Mr. John Thorpe, the veteran plantsman, states in the Christmas number 
of "Florists’ Exchange” as follows: “I will say that the most valuable plant, the most 
progressive plant, the plant which has gained the gold medal, is Polypodium Mandaianum, 
and I have no hesitation in saying there will be as many forms of it as in the case of 
Nephrolepis exaltata. Fortunately all the Polypodium family are good keepers under 
adverse circumstances. They will live where palms will not. For temporary decorations 
with cut flowers the p-olypodium will last as long as any of the asparagus. None of 
the polypodium are an exception to this rule. From a decorative standpoint the con¬ 
figuration of the plant, its adaptability, it is equal to any plant ever introduced.” 
FROM “THE JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND HOME FARMER,” 
LONDON, ENGLAND, MAY 30, 1912. 
“The exhibit of foliage plants by W. A. Manda, the American exhibitor from South 
Orange, U. S. A., deserves mention, particularly for his fern Polypodium Mandaianum, 
with fronds 5 feet long and 20 inches broad, the pinnae finely cut. This was shown upon 
wood rafts, and also towering above the stem of a tree fern. 'The fronds, when cut remain 
fresh for several weeks. 
