35 



imposed upon those who aim at better and better and 

 perfect types, this fault wherever found is ruled as an 

 absolute disqualification ; and the object of this note is to 

 bring the nature of such disqualification home to our 

 members, and to ask them to discard, as far as possible 

 from their collections, all Polystichwns marred as described, 

 instead of, as is often the case, allotting much valuable 

 space to them by reason of their other merits. In this way we 

 may in time eliminate the culprits as " rogues," and thus 

 materially raise the average standard of fine forms. 

 Recently a large batch of immense and splendidly grown 

 fronds was sent to us by a member for naming, and so 

 large a percentage of them showed these defects, that it 

 was really painful to us to have to condemn them, and we 

 are sure that the disappointment felt by the sender on 

 receipt of our verdict must have been equally sore, while 

 in some cases, it may possibly be even resented. Never- 

 theless, as the object of the Society have been made quite 

 plain, viz. the encouragement of the cultivation of only 

 perfect and constant forms, it is clear that no other course 

 is open as an expert adviser to — The Editor. 



LASTREA FILIX & PSEUDO MAS BASES. 



It will be new, probably, to many of our members that 

 the bases of the decayed fronds of this species and sub- 

 species are capable of producing plants if pulled away from 

 the caudex, inserted in soil just sufficiently to keep them 

 upright, and then kept close under a glass slip. These 

 bases from an old plant are nearly as thick as one's little 

 finger, and about 2 to 2^ inches long. If the plant be 

 lifted a considerable number of these can be pulled away 

 from the lower part of the caudex, without detriment to 

 the plant. They are very fleshy, and internally, even when 

 some years old, of a very pale green, though nearly black 

 externally. Each has its original fascicle of roots 

 attached, most of which, if not all, are dead and may be 

 cut away, as should any decayed upper part. The bases 



