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time eclipsed, in charm of plumy dissection, or ornate 

 tasselling, or frilling, anything which could be found 

 among exotic varieties. Every now and again, too, 

 altogether unexpected results occurred among the spore 

 sowings, new strains coming to light in this way which 

 surpassed their predecessors in delicacy and grace, and it 

 also became clear that the possibilities of combining such 

 charms by hybridising were fully demonstrated, both by 

 systematic cross-fertilisation and chance results of mixed 

 sowings. Now,' in our opinion, it is this last phase of Fern 

 culture which widens the horizon of future possibilities. 

 So little comparatively has it been worked out that we may 

 count the recognised crosses upon our fingers, and in this 

 connection the example of Poly podium ScJuieideri, a success- 

 ful cross between the two different species of Polypodiufji, 

 P. glaucum, a large growing, tender exotic and P. vulgare 

 covuubiense [elegant issiumm), a beautifully-divided form of the 

 hardy, common Polypody, indicates an immense field of 

 utility in the direction of decorative plants. True, it may 

 be argued that we cannot legitimately claim such results 

 as British Ferns proper, but if it is our British Fern of an 

 abnormal but beautiful type, which imparts its particular 

 charm to a purely normal exotic, we are surely entitled to 

 claim the major part of the merit involved, especially if 

 the results be, as it is largely in Polypodmin Schneideri, and 

 might be entirely in less tender species, the production of 

 nearly or quite hardy plants possessing the charm both of 

 the exotic form and that of the home variety. We recom- 

 mend this field to the particular attention of exotic Fern 

 growers, whose possession of warm greenhouses gives 

 them special facilities for experiments, which can take the 

 simple form of persistently sowing spores of fine British 

 varieties with those of allied exotic species on the offchance 

 of a cross. But, apart from such experiments, there are 

 innumerable British varieties of one and the same species 

 which would be greatly enhanced in beauty could the 

 charm of another variety be added. We will take the 



