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sown with, and as it is not a thoroughbred, bearing plain 



non-polydactylum pinnae on every frond and a very erratic 



frond tip, it has spoilt scores of good varieties by imparting 



its eccentricities to otherwise constant forms. The moral 



here is, of course, " Never sow defective Ferns," since 



they practically invariably transmit their defects, and, it 



would appear, are very liable to transmit them even when 



crossing occurs. 



Finally, it is interesting to remember that all three of 



the remarkable freaks which form our main theme, were 



absolute surprises to their raisers. When thoroughbred 



forms are sown improvements of type may reasonably be 



anticipated, and in these days it is obviously waste of time 



to sow from forms which do not show some refined and 



distinct character. We have seen what has happened 



with tne Axminster find of Lady Fern, and there are 



several other fine plumose varieties, especially the far more 



delicate Hcrsfall, which, if sown, might quite conceivably 



break into strains of equal or even surpassing beauty. 



Alliances between such a Fern and some of the refined 



cristate forms are also well worth trying for ; but in that 



connection we rather advise these as separate experiments, 



sowings of Horsfall alone on the chance of an independent 



break being also made. The field for improvement, in 



short, is immense, but we think we have said enough to 



indicate not merely the possibilities, but also the right 



direction to pursue to realize them. 



C. T. D. 



BRITISH FERNS IN ART. 



W^hen we consider how largely foliage figures as a factor 

 in artistic decoration, not merely in the living state as 

 decorative plants, but also in architecture, pottery, textile 

 fabrics, such as laces, curtains, tablecloths, etc., etc., and in 

 many other ways, it seems a thousand pities that the many 

 beautiful variants of oar native Ferns should not be studied 



