' i 90 THE BRITTSTI FERNS.
JF. Highlands.—W. Invcrnoss-shire: Frcuch Corrio, Strath
Affario; Glen Roy; Eon Aulder. Dumbartonshire: by Loch
Lomond. Argylcshire: Glon Gilp, Ardrishiag; between Looh
Aavo and Looh Etivo ; Dunoon. Islo of A rra n : Brodick. Isle of
SIuLl: Tohormoroy, IF. Christy.
H. Highlands.--Ross-sh.h'c. Sutherlandshire : Ferry-house E. of
Loch Erboll.
Ulster.—A n trim : Knookleyd, very raro. Down ; Mourno
mountains.
Connaught.—Galway : Ma’am Turo.
Leinster.—King’s Co.: Tullamoro.
Munster.—Kerry : Mucruss, Killarney.
The distribution of this Fern in Europe is general. I t is found
at North Capo, tho extreme northern point of Europe ; in Lapland,
SAA'cdcn, and R u ssia ; in Germany and H u n g a ry ; in Dalmatia,
TransyHania, and Croatia ; in Great Britain ; in France, Holland,
and Switzerland; in Italy, Spain and Gibraltar. Siberia and Kamts-
chatka, in Asia, produce i t ; and it has been recorded from Africa.
In the Now World it is as widely dispersed as in Europe, occurring
in Labrador and Greenland on tho north-eastern side; at Sitka, and
about Awatschka Bay, tho Rocky Mountains, and tho Columbia
River, on the north-western side; as woU as throughout the United
States, and in Newfoundland.
This spooios is a moisture-loving plant, although, as in most other
instances, the moisture must not bo stagnant. I t is also peculiarly
a shade-loving F e rn ; for, though very hardy, and capable of existing
under considerable exposure, yet tho delicate fronds are damaged
and disfigured unless both shade and shelter of some kind is afforded
it. I t is a good plant for a shady out-door rookery, and also grows
readily in pots. Its distinctness of character, and the lovely and
refreshing tint of green which it assumes when luxuriating in shade
and moisture, no less then its dwarfish size and compact habit,
render it ono of the most useful of rock Forns. An admixture of
fihry peat and leaf-mould, in the proportions of two-thirds of the
former to one-third of the latter, freely mixed with sand, and ruhbly
sandstone or potsherds, forms a good compost for it. This compost
will bo suitable cither for tho open rookery, or for pot culture.
When grown in pots, it is best groAvn in thoso ivhich aro broad and
shallow, and must be provided vdth abundant drainago, as it soon
perishes if water stagnates about the roots. The mode of draining
a pot or pan cffioicntfy, is to place a thick layer of porous stone or
brick or potsherds, broken up to tbe size of largo nuts or vmlnuts
over tho bottom; on this a thin layer of tho same material of the
size of peas, all tho fine dusty portions being removed to mix up
with tho soil; over those hard materials a thin layer of moss is to
be spread, to prevent the finer particles of tbe compost from falling
down among tbe rubble and filling up the vacant spaces. The
compost, formed of turfy ingredients, should never ho sifted, but
the lumpy portions broken up by hand to the sizes of nuts and
walnuts, some of these coarser portions of the mass being always
placed next tbo moss. Throe or four inobes of soil will be sufficient
for tbo plants, as their caudioes rather spread near the surface than
penetrate. In planting, those caudioes should ho fixed firmly an
inch or so below the surface, Avhioh is to he finished of with some of
tho finer parts of tho compost, so that it may he left neat and level.
After planting, a good watering through the rose of the watering
pot is desirable. When in a healthy vigorous state, the caudicos
■ creep about rapidly in all directions. When planted out in the
rookery, it should also havo porfoot drainage, in order that the roots
may ho freely supplied v ith water as oircumstauoes require.
This is one of the most interesting of the dwarf annual-fronded
British Forns, for a glass case. The only objection to it is to bo found
in its deciduous habit, in oonsoquoncc of which its place in Avmtor
. becomes a blank. The beautiful tint of its fronds, viUen they do
appear in spring, is however perhaps an ample compensation for
this defect in its ornamontative capacities. I t increases with
facility hy division of the caudox.
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