'i!
Tliere is a variety of Trichomanes tunbrigenfe, which grotvs
in little caverns under moift rocks where the fun is excluded,
and where the water, dripping from the points of the
leaves, enlarges them greatly ; in this ftate the plant has been
taken notice of, and called Trichomanes pyxidiferum; fee
Tab. 2. Fig. 7.
The varieties of Afplenium fcolopendrium are many, and
very w-ell known.
Afplenium adiantum nigrum, Polipodium aculeatum, and
fome others arc likew'ife fubjeft to varieties, fome of which I
have figured on their refpeftive plates.
Some of the Britiih Ferns have formerly been in great
efteem on account of their fuppofed vulnerary and pe£loral
qualities, but like many other valuable home medicines, they
are difregarded in the prefent prafihce.
The ufe of Fern allies in the making of glafs, boiling of foap,
dying, &c. is very well knowm, and needs not here be infift-
cd on.
Fern, by reafon of its abounding in falts, is certainly an
excellent manure for land, if cut down while green, mixed
with a third part of cows dung, and laid in large heaps to rot.
Fern, being cut down, dried, and ufed as litter in the planting
of potatoes, has fometimes_ been known to produce an
extraordinary crop ; whether it would always have the fame
effefl; deferves a fair trial.
Many
Many of the Ferns might with great propriety be introduced
into our botanic gardens ; not merely with a view to
increafe the number of plants in thefe gardens, but alfo on
account of the agreeable contrail they produce when intcr-
fperfed amongft plants of all the other claftcs, of their
own beautiful fingularity, and of the great cafe with which
they are procured and preferved.
In the hot-houfe or ftove they become evergreens, and their
beauty is greatly improved in refpeft to colour and delicacy.
When planted in pots, and placed amongft other plants,
their foft, feathery, filken clumps produce an eftebl which
muft be pleafing to every one.
The fpecies moft proper for introducing as rare plants into
the hot-houfe arc, Ofmunda crifpa, Acroftichum ieptentrio-
nale, and Acroftichum ilvenfe, Afplenium viride, Afplenium
marinum, and Afplenium lanceolatum, a variety of the laft ;
Polipodium lonchitis, Polipodium fontanum, Polipodium fra-
grans, Polipodium rheticum, Polipodium dryopteris, Polipodium
phegopteris, Polipodium thelypteris, and Polipodium
fragile; Adiantum capillus veneris; and Trichomanes tunbrigenfe.
Of Ferns Icls rare, of a proper fize to be introduced for the
fake of number and variety, Ophiogloftum vulgatum, Ofmunda
lunaria, Ofmunda fpicant, and Afplenium ceterach,
c Afple