The Haslingden Gazette. — 1909-02-27 (Haslingden, Lancashire, England)

OUR BRITISH FERNS  NATURALISTS LECTURE.  At the usual bi-monthly meeting of tbe Accrington Naturalists' and Antiquarians Society held on Saturday last, Mr. Lovelady, of Haslingden, gave a lecture on "Fern Growing in Manufacturing Towns." Mr. Holman presided over a very good attendance. .  At the outset the lecturer pointed out that, unlike the flowering plants, ferns did not require a great amount of light and bright sunshine, lust could be grown in almost any shady nook or curlier where it might, perhaps, be difficult to grow , anything else, and acre, therefore, specially suitable for the cottage gardens and back yards of town dwellers. He also spoke on the value of window culture of ferns as a meatus of brightening tho home. He considered that. a north-west aspect was best suited to the culture of_fertu, as it avoided the cold biting winds of the east and the scorohing rays of the noonday sun, while it gave the light and warmth necessary to coMp'etc development. No one. however, need be deterred from growing ferns by the want of a north-west mpeet, as, although it was an advantage. it was not of primary importance. Some good advice was also given to the audience respecting the sad in winch to grow ferns. With regard to ferns which were be suited to window culture. MI. Lovelady mentioned the aspleniums, the scelopendrum:, the lady fern, rho shield ferns, and the oak fern.  The difficulty esperienced in acclimatising certain ferns ti as al-, gone into. The green spleenOtt taken from the limestone clefts at the foot of Ingleborough. and the parsley fern, 80 abundant, In the Lake District, when brought to • manufacturing town survived for about two years and then died away. Mr. Lovelady thought this WWI due almost entirely to the atmosphere, as he had. in the case of the parsley fern, gone to the trouble and expena, of bringing away with hint as hamper full of the soil in VOlioll the fern was growing. and still it never prospered in its new surroundings. The blechnum fern was also instanced as not a good one to grow in captivity. This fern is very hardy and is usually found co high ground and often in swampy places, ,nd although one might bring away the in which it was growing, it would still be difficult, if not almost impossible, to cultivate it successfully in a town unless it 'son also possible to have the same teniperaturo as that experienced in the etctared position of its natural habitation. Tho question of pests was slightly touched upon by Mr. Lovelady, who delivered some interesting and amusing remarks upon his battles with the insect world. He also discussed reproduction in the ferns, and this part of his discoune was supplemented by practical work with the microscopes, which considerably enhanced the value of his remarks.  Mr. Lovelady had a great many of the actual specimens to illustrate his lecture—some pressed and mounted, and other freshly gathered in hi, greenhouse—and he also had a good number of photographs of various ferns. In acknowledging the vote of thanks. Mr. Love. lady made an Mier, that if the society could prevail upon the Parks Committee to grant them a 'mall corner in Oak Hill Park he nould be ailling to stock it with British ferns and name them.  At Glasgow High Court on Tuesday, James Jack Watson. aged twenty, a miner, was sentenced to fourteen years' penal servitude for murdering his sweetheart, a domestic servant, by cutting her throat with a razor while they were walking on the public highway. Watson imme. diet* reported to the police what he had done. Jealousy was the motive.