variety (P. nyctiginiflora) and the small purple (P. violacea) all the beautiful varieties now found in gardens have originated.

The plants only require common soil, and to be trained upon a trellis, and, while they give but little bloom in winter, will, towards spring, give the greatest profusion. The double varieties are showy, but are not favorites of ours.

One of the best petunias is Countess of Ellesmere, a charming variety; color rosy-red, with a pure white

throat.

FERNS IN THE PARLOR.

Although most ferns can only be grown in the parlor with the protection of a Wardian case, there are some which succeed well grown upon the centre-table, provided the room is light and airy.

We have for years grown some species most successfully in this way, planting them in porcelain pots, or boxes, without drainage from the bottom, in which they have developed finely.

In the bottom of the pot put two layers of potsherds, broken up rather fine, and upon this a few small lumps of

charcoal; upon this fill the soil, à compost of peat, loam, and sand, broken fine, but not sifted, and set the plant; give a good watering, and the work is done.

Care must be taken not to over-water so as to rot the roots, and not to keep the room very hot and close. The species we have found to succeed best in parlor culture are,

ADIANTUM.

This is a very beautiful and graceful family, of which our native maiden-hair fern is a well-known species.

A. cuneatum. A beautiful Brazilian species, with graceful fronds, which are delicate pink in the young state. It is propagated so readily from spores that young plants often come up in any pots which may be near. If carefully grown, it soon forms a large plant.

A. affine. A delicate species from New Zealand, very easily grown.

A. pedatum. Our native maiden-hair.

A. capillus Veneris. The English maiden-hair.

Both of very easy culture.

DAVILLIA.

D. canariensis. A graceful and pretty fern. Does well

with parlor culture.

BLECHNUM.

B. braziliense is a large-growing, rather coarse, but handsome fern, which makes a good specimen with room. culture.

PTERIS.

Of this large family three are easily grown in the parlor, and probably experiment would show that many others succeed equally well.

P. serrulata.

This is the most common of exotic ferns. A native of the East Indies, it comes up from spores so readily, in fern and orchid houses, as to become a weed. It grows rapidly, and soon makes a large plant.

P. tremula. A large-growing species, from Australia. It makes a fine plant for an ornamental porcelain pot, or for a low-hanging basket.

P. cretica albo lineata. A pretty fern, and the only one of the variegated kinds which will thrive with parlor culture. The leaves are light green, with a clear-white centre and midrib. It is now very common.

NEPHROLEPIS.

N. exaltata and pectinata are common kinds, easily grown and very ornamental.

POLYPODIUM.

Those who cannot obtain exotic ferns may cultivate successfully our pretty, wild polypodium (P. vulgare). It is an evergreen species, very common on shaded, rocky places, and grows well in the parlor.

LYGODIUM.

This is a beautiful genus of climbing ferns, of which one species (L. palmatum) is not uncommon in New England.

The oldest known species is L. scandens, a native of the East Indies, with large, bright-green foliage, and which, grown upon the rafters of a greenhouse, makes a screen of delicate beauty. It does well in a Wardian case, but is impatient of damp, unless in a high temperature.

L. japonicum is a charming little climber, and will thrive in a Wardian case, or even in the parlor, if the air is not allowed to get very dry.

L. palmatum (our "climbing-fern") is hardy and easily cultivated.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

The recently introduced Japanese chrysanthemums are valuable as prolonging the season of flowers far into the

winter, although the flowers are very ragged and loose. The best way for the amateur is to buy from the nearest green-house a few plants of chrysanthemums in the autumn, bloom them in the window, and then throw them away.

AGAVE, OR CENTURY PLANT.

The common Century plant, or American aloe (A. Americana), and the striped-leaved variety, are too well known to need description. They are very hardy plants, even bearing several degrees of frost without injury. They are stately plants, and will endure much ill-treatment. In the parlor they form attractive ornaments for the centre-table in winter, the only care required being not to over-water them, and to dust the leaves.

There are many other species, all worth growing; but the best are,

A. Milleri. A variety of Americana, of free-growing habit, and with long variegated leaves.

A. a medio picta. Rich golden-yellow leaves.

A. applanata. Rich glaucous foliage.

A. coccinia. A massive species; deep green leaves, armed with red spines.

A. ferox. A very distinct species, with heavy dark-green leaves, armed with large dark-brown spines.

A. filifera. Leaves dark green, clothed with white filaments. A very handsome plant.