47 



fronds for several seasons ; a mass of confervoid growth 

 had meanwhile covered the sand, and eventually two plants 

 of Lastvea filix mas., doubtless arising from stray spores on 

 the Hartstongue, appeared. The Hartstongue then died, 

 but both the Lastveas are still alive, though small, despite 

 the fact that absolutely no fresh water has been admitted 

 to the jar from the day of its installation and the stopper is 

 quite air-tight. How all the vegetation produced has been 

 engendered in an hermetically sealed jar about 8 inches by 

 3 inches is a puzzle, but the fact remains. 



We may now come to our particular theme, viz. the 

 propagation of Ferns, which by reason of their infertility 

 as regards production of spores or offsets are difficult to 

 propagate, or for some reason have lost so much of their 

 vigour as to be practically moribund. Fern vitality is 

 usually very strong, and will assert itself if given a chance. 

 A Fern which by reason of old age first dwindles and then 

 apparently dies, does so usually owing to the dense 

 accumulation of old dead matter round the crown, and as 

 new fronds always establish themselves by means of an 

 independent bundle of roots which are emitted from these 

 bases, it is evident that these new roots become more and 

 more handicapped by the fact that it is more and more 

 difficult for them to reach fresh soil, especially if, as is 

 often the case, the old crown lifts and emerges further 

 and further from the soil. We will assume a plant of a 

 rare form of Polystichum angulare, which has gone so far 

 in this direction as to be to all intents and purposes a 

 mere frondless stump, and if we dig it up we find no 

 living roots. The natural impulse is to consign it to the 

 rubbish heap, but if before doing so we proceed to care- 

 fully pull away or cut away all the dead matter we shall 

 in all probability come to a central core which still 

 retain some living sap. This may be no bigger than a 

 walnut or even much less, but so long as any living 

 •material has survived we have a good chance of not 

 merely resuscitating the plant but also of obtaining a 



