326 
JOUnXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  8,  1903. 
house.  A  Fern  house  should,  whenever  iDossible',  be  built  fi’oni 
north  to  south,  and  the  plants  shaded  from  the-  strong  rays  of 
the  sun,  although  retaining  all  the  natural  light  possible. 
Blinds  of  unbleached  muslin,  fastened  on  the  inside,  under  the 
roof  of  the  house,  we  have  found  the  best  for  this  purpose. 
One  of  the  most  useful,  and  a  verj-  old  favourite  Fern,  is 
Adiantum  cuneatum,  or  Maidenhair  Fern.  It  is  of  easier  culture 
thair  most  any  other  Fern,  and  adapts  itself  to  almost  any  soil 
and  situation.  If  it  is  kept  moi.st  at  the  roots  it  will  produce 
the  Avhole  year  around  an  abundance  of  fronds.  It  is  geirerally 
rai.sed  from  spores,  but  can  be  easily  propagated  by  cultivation 
of  the  crowns.  A.  cuneatum  gracillimum  is  a  variation  of  the 
above,  and  oire  of  the  most  elegant  Ferns.  The  fronds  attain 
a  lieight  of  from  1-Jft  to  2ft,  and  are  densely  tufted.  This 
variety  is  reproduceel  true  from  spores,  and  is  of  very  easy 
culture.  A.  formosum  is  a  strong,  handsome  greenhouse  s*pecie.s, 
and  attains  large  size.  It  is  veiw  useful  for  house  decoration, 
and  is  also  of  easy  culture.  It  succeeds  well  in  a  greenhouse 
temperativre,  but  if  cultivated  in  stove  heat  the  fronds  be- 
conie  much  larger,  and  the  plant  will  make  a  fine  specimen.  It 
is  raised  from  spores  and  by  division  of  the  rhizomes. 
A.  Ghiesbreghti,  or  scutum,  is  supposed  to  be  a  variety  of 
teneruni.  It  makes  a  beautiful  plant  for  decorative  and*  ex¬ 
hibition  purposes.  A.  peruvianum  is  one  of  the  most  ornamental 
stove  species  of  the  large  growing  Adiantums.  Its  graceful 
fronds  are  borne  oir  wiry,  long  stalks  from  12in  to  18in  in  length, 
the  fronds  from  2ft  to  3ft.  A.  tenerum  is  a  stove  species,  of 
elegant  habit  and  very  large  dimensions.  It  grows  wild  in 
Florida  on  the  river  banks,  and  its  fronds  are  from  two  to  three 
feet  in  length.  _  If  sufficient  room  is  allowed  it,  this  Fern  make.s 
a  grand  exhibition  specimen.  A.  cuneatum  grandiceps  is  highly 
decorative  and  robust.  It  has  densely  tufted  crowns  and  the 
fronds  are  more  elongated  than  in  A.  cuneatum.  Its  branches 
are  smaller,  and  the  fronds  have  an  arching  habit  which  make.s 
it  suitable  for  hanging  baskets.  A.  caudatuin  is  a  stove  .species, 
different  from  the  majority  of  Adiantums.  It  is  a  very  useful 
Fern  for  baskets,  and  if  suspended,  its  fronds  can  be  seen  droop¬ 
ing  two  or  three  feet. 
A  Capillu.s-Yeneris  imbricatum  is  the  handsomest  of  the 
Capillus- Veneris  varieties.  The  fronds  are  borne  on  slender 
stalks,  pendulous,  from  eight  to  ten  inches  long.  The  appear¬ 
ance  of  this  plant  is  that  of  A.  Farleyense,  but  it  is  of  dwarf er 
habit.  It  is  classified  as  a  cool  house  Fern,  but  with  us  it  does, 
best  with  greenhouse  treatment.  Its  graceful  cut  fronds  are 
used  for  dinner  table  decorations,  and  the  plant  makes  a  first- 
class  house  Fern.  A.  Farleyense,  undoubtedly  the  handsomest 
of  all  Ferns,  has  attained  such  a  degree  of  po'pularity  that  any 
description,  however  complete,  would  fail  to  do  it  justice.  It 
is  supposed  to  be  a  natural  sport  of  A.  tenerum ;  but  whatever 
it  may  be,  it  shows  admirably  the  gardener’s  .skill,  and  draws 
attention  wherever  exhibited.  Its  fronds  are  gracefully  droop¬ 
ing.  I  have  seen  plants  grown  with  fronds  2t  to  3  *  feet  in 
length,  and  the  pinnules,  or  leaflets,  llin  broad;  and  they  were 
grown  entirely  in  pure  fibrous  loam.  They  require  a  tenipera- 
ture  of  from  70  to  75  degrees  at  night,  anil  plenty  of  moisture. 
Attempts  have  been  made  to  raise  this  Fern  from  spores,  but 
without  succe.ss,  consequently  it  is  propagated  by  division  of  the 
crown. 
A  very  useful  Fern  for  decoration,  and  a  very  good  house 
plant,  IS  Cibotiuin  Schiedei.  Although  an  arborescent  Fern,  its 
trunk  never  attains  a  height  of  over  two  or  three  feet  when 
artificially  grown.  It  is  of  free  growth  and  its  fronds  are 
elegantly  drooping,  measuring  sometimes  from  six  to  eight  feet. 
In  closing  I  must  not  forget  to  say  a  good  word  for  another 
genus  ot  r  erns  which  demands  a  space  in  every  greenhouse 
however  small  viz.,  the  Nephrolepis.  They  are  valuable  a.s 
liouse  plants,  for  rockwork,  decorations  and  baskets.  They  aie 
most  tenacious  of  life,  and  will  stand  a  treatment  which  no  other 
r  ern  would. 
- - 
Lilium  Harrisi  in  the  Flower  Border. 
It  IS  a  eoinmon  enough  experience  to  find  the  Japanese  Lilium 
auratuin  purchased  for  border  planting,  and  a  fine  object  it 
makes  when  soil  and  surroundings  agree.  It  is  not  so  ooinmon 
to  see  the  Easter  Lily  treated  thus,  though  its  claims  would 
seem  ta  be  fully  deserving.  There  is  something  very  chaste  and 
aristocratic  in  the  presence  of  a  fine  clump  of  L.  Harrisi  growing 
and  flowering  in  the  garden  border,  and  where  this  quality  is 
valued  and  striking  objects  are  a  desideratum  in  the  garden 
landscape,  these  Lilies  ought  to  invite  a  passing  claim. 
We  have  seen  fine  bunches  of  ,  L.  Harrisi  staged  among 
bunches  of  herbaceous  flowers  this  summer,  and  in  such  com¬ 
pany  their  chaste  waxen  trumpets  stand  out  with  conspicuous 
V  grandeur.  In  a  growing  state  this  is  even  more 
i-triking.  Among  beds  of  Rhododendrons,  Azaleas,  and  similar 
£nrubs  there  is  a  fine  opening  for  these  Lilies;  and  in  their  [ 
I 
season  of  blossom,  which  is  August,  the  lawns  and  borders  come 
in  for  a  good  share  of  patronage  and  inspection.  They  may  not 
probably  survive  a  winter’s  rigour  as  will  L.  auratuin  in  Rliodo- 
dendion  beds ;  but  they  are  not  so  expensive  as  to  make  ah 
annual  planting  prohibitive.  Remarks  overheard  at  the  flower 
show  when  these  Lilies  were  displayed  in  competitive  collections 
of  hardy  flowers,  convince  one  that  their  use.  as  border  plants 
is  not  quite  a  common  experience. 
Usually  as,sociatcd  with  the  greenhouse,  and  grown  in  pots, 
these  Lilies  are  by  many  regarded  as  tender  and  unsuited  for  any 
other  purpose.  Those  who  doubt  the  question  have  only  to 
procure  bulbs  and  plant  in  .springtime  in  suitable  positions,  and 
in  suitable  soil.  Ordinary  garden  soil  enriched  with  leaf  mould 
and  peat  will  do;  but  the  better  the  larder  the  finer  results  may 
naturally  be  expected. 
On  the  chance  of  their  safe  passage  through  the  winter  in 
the  open,  a  covering  of  leaves,  as  cocoa-fibre,  may  do  much,  and 
for  this  to  be  successful  the  position  should  be  dry.  If  necessary, 
they  may  be  forwarded  in  pots  preparatorj'  to  their  final  planting 
in  the  open,  and  by  periodic  planting  it  would  be  possible  to 
keep  up  a  display  for  some  time  in  po.sitions  that  would  bring 
them  within  easy  range  of  inspection.  In  the  herbaceous  border 
they  would  be  in  good  company.- — R.  A.  W. 
What  the  Ladj  Coot  has  to  Say. 
“  The  Man  Who  Serves  the  Kitchen  ”  makes  out  a  rather 
strong  case  against  cooks  as  a  body  tpage  236),  their  unreason¬ 
ableness  and  general  contrariness.  Well,  cooks  are  only  human, 
and  subject  to  many  infirmities  of  the  flesh  and  temper,  I 
grant ;  but  yet  have  they  not  sometimes  cause  for  complaint  ? 
I  think  so. 
The  first  subject  that  occurs  to  me  is  a  great  one,  that  of 
the  Potato.  We  need  supplies,  and  bountiful  supplies,  of  this 
vegetable  365  days  in  thei  year.  It  is  not  a  new  introduction, 
and  many  men  have  given  up  their  best  years  to  its  cultivation 
and  impi-ovement.  There  are  all  sorts,  of  Potatoes  on  the 
market  and  in  cultivation;  first  earlies,  second  earlies,  in  all 
their  variety,  and  the  main  croppers  are  numberless  as  the  sea 
sand.  And  yet  (I  grieve  to  say  it),  I  find  such  difficulty  in  get¬ 
ting  good  tubers  late  in  the  summer.  The  earlies  are  all  right, 
but  it  is  those  which  come  in  before  the  main  crop  is  ready  that 
I  find  fault  with.  They  are  too  old  to  be  good,  treated  as 
“  New,”  and  not  mealy  enough  for  the  .steamer.  I  grant  it  is 
not  for  long  the  trouble  lasts;  but  during  the  time  there  are 
constant  complaints  from  the  powers  that  be,  and  even  the 
servants  throw  out  hints  about  “  pig  stuff.”  Perhaps,  indosd, 
the  servants  complain  before  their  betters.  I  do  wish  all  gar¬ 
deners  would  make  this  between-seasons  Potato  a  speciality. 
No  cook  can  do  her. self  credit  with  unripe,  badly  matured  stuff. 
Then,  again,  why  do  gardeners  so  like  to  hold  over  Peas 
and  Beans  till  they  get  a  “  bone  ”  in  them  ?  They  do  detest  to 
gather  these  things  early.  Never  mind  about  the  first  lots  being 
a  bit  small,  let  me  have  them,  small  if  you  like,  but  young, 
tender,  and  sweet!  I  suppose  they  don’t  bulk  up  enough,  but 
that  is  no  concern  of  the  consumer.  I  often,  too,  experience  a 
difficulty  between  Asi^aragus  time  and  the  early  Pea.  There  is 
a  scarcity  of  good  vegetables  then,  often.  For  this  blank  I 
don’t  altogether  blame  the  gardener.  I  know  springs  are-  ad¬ 
verse  ;  but  still  comes  the  cry  from  the  dining-room,  “  We  should 
like  two  dishes  of  green  vegetables,  please,  cook.” 
iSmall  .stuff,  too,  for  salads,  is  often  bad  to  come  at,  and  why, 
oh !  why,  should  the  supply  of  little  Onions  ever  fail  ?  To  my 
mind  a  salad  without  Onions  is  a  thing  of  naught;  insipid, 
flavourless.  Could  there  not  be  a  succes.sion  of  sowings  ?  But 
irerhaps  this  is  my  ignorance. 
Horseradish  and  Salsafy  I  should  like  a  bit  bigger.  If^only 
the  gardener  had  to  grate  the  poor,  thin  roots  that  come  In  to 
the  house,  he  would  know!  Then  why,  too,  are  spring  Cauli¬ 
flowers  so  often  only  beautiful  miniatures,  and  why  do  spring 
Cabbage  take  so  long  to  heart?  Indeed,  they  may  oftener  be 
classed  among  summer  vegetables  rather  than  spring. 
Turnips  are  much  in  demand  in  the  kitchen,  and  though  the 
white  are  good  enough  as  early  varieties  (ninety-five  per  cent, 
water),  I  should  so  prefer  for  flavour  the  attractive  Swede. 
These  are  not  so  full  of  fibre  and  general  toughness  as  their  white 
brethren.  Would  it  ever  be  possible  to  have  the  young  Carrots 
a  little  sooner?  They  are  so  invaluable  for  .soups  and  bashes; 
in  fact,  almost  indispensable.  I  also  like  a  smooth-skinned 
Artichoke  rather  than  the  nobbly  variety ;  there  is  not  so 
niuch  waste  in  peeling.  My  si.sters  and  I  have  come  to  stay. 
We  shall  make  great  demands  on  the  gardeners,  but  we  shall 
also  lean  to  the  side  of  carefulness.  We  know  the  value  of  a 
vegetable  diet,  but  we  also  know  how  to  utilise  scraps  and  odds 
and  ends.  We  shall  be  no  friend  to  the  swill-tub,  but  at  the 
same  time  we  shall  ask  for,  and  expect  to  get,  in  our  vegetable 
basket  the  best  of  everything.— F. 
