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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  5,  1896. 
difficulties  to  overcome  in  dealing  with  Dicksonias  similarly  grown, 
simple  details  may  be  of  service  to  some  thus  situated. 
In  one  case,  and  it  must  be  noted  at  this  season  of  the  year,  it 
was  desirable  to  transplant  a  fine  specimen  Dicksonia  which  had 
been  established  in  the  one  position  for  some  years.  Originally  it 
had  been  planted  in  a  box  4  feet  square,  and  afterwards  sunk  to 
the  level  of  the  ground  floor,  where  the  box  had  decayed.  The 
task  of  lifting  proved  easier  than  anticipated,  for  a  little  straining 
at  the  trunk  brought  it  clean  away,  leaving  all  the  roots  behind. 
Examination  proved  the  bulk  of  these  roots  to  be  dead,  live  roots 
being  only  observable  on  the  confines  of  the  mass.  Having  to  deal 
with  a  clean  stem  only,  this  was  secured  by  wire  bands  to  an  iron 
pillar,  and  a  little  rock  work,  with  some  turves  of  peat,  was  solidly 
built  for  some  18  inches  up  the  base  of  the  trunk.  Attention  to 
shading  and  damping  was  carefully  given,  and  with  the  new  crop 
of  fronds  which  was  put  forth,  vigorous  root  action  from  the 
trunk  dispelled  all  anxiety  for  our  specimen. 
Noting  what  had  resulted  in  this  case,  a  smaller  plant  was 
taken  in  hand.  This  had  been  tubbed  on  until  its  receptacle  had, 
from  its  size,  become  an  eyesore.  Moreover,  if  it  could  be  reduced 
in  size  it  would  meet  the  purpose  of  occasional  house  decoration. 
The  trunk  was  cut  off  above  the  surface  with  a  hand-saw,  and  set 
into  a  pot  just  holding  it,  with  a  few  handfuls  of  peat  rammed 
round  it.  The  fronds  were  reduced,  and  the  plant  temporarily 
transferred  to  warm  moist  quarters.  It  quickly  made  a  beautiful 
little  specimen,  and  when  eventually  planted  in  a  small  tub,  which 
one  man  could  easily  pick  up  and  carry  to  any  temporary  position^ 
the  success  was,  I  think,  sufficient  to  justify  calling  attention  to  the 
simple  and  effective  measure  ;  in  fact  I  have  scarcely  seen  a  Tree 
Fern  since  growing  in  an  unwieldy  tub,  but  that  the  feeling  arises 
to  fetch  a  hand- saw  and  treat  it  likewise. 
During  the  growing  season  Tree  Ferns  enjoy  an  occasional 
stimulant  of  weak  manure  or  soot  water,  and  this  will  be  some  aid 
in  checking  those  enemies  which  lay  wait  in  uncongenial  surround¬ 
ings.  Thrips  and  red  spider  are  apt  to  cause  havoc  ere  they  are 
noticed,  for  even  the  syringe  may  fail  to  dislodge  them  where  the 
overlapping  fronds  prevent  free  ingress  to  water.  Some  years 
since  I  tried  the  experiment  of  mossing  the  stem  of  a  Dicksonia, 
covering  the  whole  trunk  with  fresh  green  moss  bound  on  with 
wire.  The  experiment  was  a  signal  failure,  and  I  would  warn  any 
who  think  of  doing  the  same  from  repeating  a  process  capable,  I 
now  believe,  of  killing  off  by  degrees  the  healthiest  plants. 
Where  a  specimen  of  the  Dicksonia  antarctica  is  grown  seedling 
plants  frequently  appear.  These,  in  the  first  stage  from  the 
prothallus,  may  be  easily  mistaken  for  the  common  Lastrea  ;  but  a 
little  discrimination  will  detect  the  difference  even  in  that  early 
stage.  As  these  seedlings  are  of  rapid  growth  there  is  corresponding 
pleasure  in  growing  a  few  from  the  infant  stage,  and  they  make 
very  handsome  plants,  distinct  from  common  types  in  their  rich 
glossy  foliage,  although  years  must  elapse  ere  they  develop  into 
giants  of  the  tribe.  The  almost  as  well  known  D.  squarrosa,  in  its 
dark  hued  fronds  and  more  restricted  habit  of  growth,  forms  a 
pleasing  specimen  for  limited  space,  and  is  well  adapted  to 
exhibition  grouping. 
That  majestic  Tree  Fern  Cyathea  medullaris,  with  its  widely 
arched  fronds,  is  more  rarely  met  with,  but  when  seen  in  good 
condition  cannot  fail  to  impress  the  beholder.  Thriving,  like  the 
Dicksonias,  under  greenhouse  treatment,  it  appears  to  enjoy  a  more 
buoyant  atmosphere  than  is  conducive  to  the  health  of  others. 
So  with  the  Alsophilas,  in  which  the  aerial  roots  descending 
the  stems  are  less  conspicuous  or  practically  absent  till  near  the 
ground  surface. 
For  a  warm  conservatory  or  tropical  house,  and  if  my  choice 
was  confined  to  one  kind  that  would  be  Cibotium  princeps  ;  this 
elegant  and  graceful  Fern  taking,  I  think,  precedence  over 
C.  Schiedei,  the  latter,  from  its  dwarfer  stem  and  prostrate  habit, 
better  displaying  itself  when  elevated  to  the  vantage  ground  of 
raised  rockwork  or  other  more  commanding  position.  Where 
circumstances  permit  a  dual  view  of  all  Tree  Ferns  alone  does  them 
justice — that  is,  a  view  from  under,  looking  up  at  the  feathery 
heads  ;  and  a  view  from  above,  looking  down  on  or  over  the  top. 
This  forethought  has  been  admirably  given  in  a  cool  fernery, 
planned  and  planted  by  Mr.  Burbidge  in  the  College  Gardens, 
Dublin.  The  occupants  are  chiefly  Dicksonias,  informally  growing 
in  an  excavated  gully — glass  covered  of  course.  One  walks  among 
the  stems  on  the  low  level,  and  ascends  by  steps  in  the  bank  to 
the  higher,  thus  realising  from  all  points  of  view  the  beauty  of  the 
occupants.  Other  Fern  houses  I  have  noted  where  more  elaborate 
(but  not  more  pleasing)  details  have  been  carried  out  by  steps 
formed  in  rockwork  with  the  same  object  in  view.  Many  gardens 
there  are,  it  is  needless  to  say,  possessing  a  Fern  house  in  which 
these  giants  of  the  tribe  are  well  and  amply  accommodated,  but 
many  more  there  are  in  which  one  or  more  specimens  have  to  be 
grown  in  uncongenial  surroundings.  Such  are  worthy  of  any  little 
helps  a  gardener  can  devise  to  make  their  lives  as  comfortable  as 
possible,  and  in  the  doing  afford  their  interested  employers  pleasure 
in  these  noble  plants,  as  well  as  evidence  of  skill  to  overcome 
adverse  conditions.  In  such  places  one  or  other  of  the  kinds 
enumerated  w’ll  be  generally  grown.  Possibly,  too,  the  unwieldy 
tub  or  pot  will  be  the  factor  seriously  discounting  its  appearance. 
In  a  permanent  situation  the  removal  of  the  tub  or  pot  piecemeal, 
and  replacing  it  by  building  up  rough  stones  with  plenty  of  peat 
for  packing,  will  give  satisfactory  results  ;  Lycopods,  Ficus  repens, 
or  seedling  Ferns  giving  a  finish  to  the  whole.  Good  fibrous  loam 
is  a  satisfactory  addition  to  peat  under  all  phases  of  culture,  but 
with  loam  of  inferior  quality  peat  alone  is  preferable — such,  at 
least,  is  my  experience,  initiated  many  years  since  with  a  noted 
grower,  and  since  confirmed  by  observation. — Invicta. 
HARDY  FLOWER  NOTES. 
It  seems  but  yesterday  that  the  Snowdrops  came  for  the 
season,  and  already  many  of  their  flowers  have  fulfilled  their 
mission,  and  the  plants  they  so  adorned  are  now  clad  in  modest 
green  awaiting  the  time  when,  in  turn,  these  leaves  shall  also  yield 
to  the  remorseless  hand  of  Time.  We  are  reluctant  to  see  the 
departure  of  these  “  Fair  Maids,”  as  we  love  to  hear  them  called, 
but  they  have  brought  in  their  train  other  flowers  so  fair  that  in  their 
beauty  we  find  a  consolation  for  the  loss  of  those  which  are  now 
withdrawing  for  a  time  from  our  eyes.  So  our  requiem  ends  in  a 
song  of  thanksgiving,  and  our  mourning  for  the  past  is  swallowed 
up  in  the  joy  of  the  present  as  we  look  delightedly  upon  the  garden 
with  its  many  charms. 
There  has  been  no  such  rapid  rush  into  growth  as  we  have  seen 
at  ocher  times,  when  the  bands  of  the  winter  have  yielded  almost 
instantly  at  the  sudden  coming  of  the  genial  winds  and  the  smiles 
and  showers  of  the  spring,  but  instead  a  steady  progress  of  this  array 
of  beauty.  The  Snowflakes,  rivalling  the  Snowdrops  in  purity, 
accompany  the  earliest  Glories  of  the  Snow,  the  Hepaticas,  the 
early  Squills,  the  early  Rockfoils,  and,  welcomed  of  all,  the  earliest 
Daffodil. 
The  Crocus,  too,  embroiders  the  ground  with  its  charming 
colours.  How  varied  are  these  flowers !  We  seek  in  vain  for 
language  in  which  to  express  the  charming  colouration  of 
some  of  their  blossoms.  There  are  the  Dutch  Crocuses  which  give 
us  deep  gold,  pure  white,  white  with  faint  lines  of  palest  lilac,  light 
blue,  deep  purple,  purple  with  white  tips,  and  others  with  stripes 
and  zones  too  varied  to  describe,  but  all  full  of  beauty.  Then 
there  are  the  species  with  their  varieties,  and  who  can  attempt  to 
tell  of  their  variety  of  beauty  in  a  limited  space  ?  They  have  not 
had  a  cheery  time  ;  but,  if  the  absence  of  sunshine  kept  them  from 
opening,  they  have  done  their  best  to  please  us  with  their  “  foul 
weather  dress.”  There  is  C.  biflorus,  named  in  some  curious  way 
the  Scotch  Crocus,  with  fawn  or  white  attire  striped  beautifully 
with  deep  purple  ;  the  variety  estriatus,  deeming  itself  in  full 
costume  without  the  purple  braiding  the  others  wear.  Then  C.  b. 
pusillus  is  content  that  its  dwarfer  size  is  its  charm,  and  the  pretty 
little  C.  b.  Pestallozre  looks  out  with  its  white  flowers  from  its 
veiling  of  grassy  leaves,  conscious  that  its  tiny  little  cups  will  not 
be  passed  by  without  receiving  their  meed  of  admiration. 
Then  C.  Tommasinianus  (whioh  has  so  long  a  name  either  to 
speak  or  to  spell  that  we  wish  Kerner’s  name  of  C.  serbicus  would 
serve)  stands  in  a  crowded  little  clump,  with  its  sapphire-lavender 
flowers  so  pleasing  that  we  look  and  look  again.  We  have 
