17 



in immovable plants, since practically the only way of 

 eradicating it is to immerse the pots or pans whenever it is 

 noticed that the fronds are attacked by the beetle, which is 

 purely a night feeder. This, if persisted in throughout the 

 season, is fairly effective. Should any of our readers come 

 across a Weevil of this small type, we should like to see 

 it, not necessarily alive, but preferably killed by hot water. 

 Incidentally we may mention that although the aflected 

 caudices sent us were immersed in boiling water before 

 dissection, some pieces being dropped on to damp sand in 

 a stoppered bottle after that operation are already 

 developing, despite the scalding, numerous bulbils on the 

 freshly exposed surfaces in the shape of small white 

 pimples, an indication that resuscitation and even propaga- 

 tion is possible, even when the plant is seemingly quite 

 destroyed. (Vide also " A Resuscitated Collection," Vol. I., 



p. 251.} 



The Editor. 



FERN "GENESIS." 



Taking a thoughtful stroll recently among my Ferns, and 

 particularly taking note of those which I have raised myself 

 from spores, I could not help reflecting upon the marvels 

 their genesis embodied. Foremost among these are the 

 huge specimens, now many years old, of the wonderful 

 " superbum " strain of plumose Lady Ferns. Towering 

 above most of the others are two examples of the Druery 

 plumosum, A. ff. pUimosiim Druery (or amongst the cog- 

 noscenti plain P. D.), nearly five feet high from the soil, 

 and considerably more across, while here and there are 

 specimens almost as large of the numerous members of the 

 crested section of the same strain, which arose simul- 

 taneously as sister plants from their common in one sense 

 but very uncommon in another sense, parent the original 

 " superbum," which I call ''the mother of the Gracchi." 

 This was the granddaughter of the wild Axminster plu- 

 mosum. My eye next falls on a perfect specimen of the 



