'45 



SOME TROUBLES OF AN AMATEUR. 



At the time of writing (November) active growth among 

 the ferns has practically ceased. The fronds of the 

 deciduous sorts will soon be dying down, while the ever- 

 greens are settling down for the winter. I have been 

 taking a little stroll round my collection — mostly in pots — 

 and have been mentally reviewing the lessons I have 

 learnt from them this year. 



Some of the ferns have done renaarkably well. For 

 instance, a Lady Fern, of the plumosum Drtiery persuasion, 

 has called forth praises from numerous visitors, while the 

 three-foot fronds of my " King of the Male Ferns " have 

 made at least two people vow to purchase plants for 

 next year. 



And yet, in spite of such gratifying successes in culture, 

 there have been failures. Perhaps one is too exacting, but, 

 somehow, one-half of the collection has not done as well 

 as one would have liked. The majority of British ferns 

 are by no means hard to grow. " Of the easiest culture," 

 is a frequent remark in the fern lists. Why, then, the 

 failures ? 



Lack of ideal conditions one is inclined to put as the 

 chief cause. But there comes to mind the old proverb 

 about the unskilled workman always blaming his tools, 

 and so one does not care to press this point too much. 

 Yet the thought comes that if one had a nice little green- 

 house — not too sunny — and a nice little private wood with 

 a purling brook running through it, one would grow things 

 better. 



On the whole, perhaps, one had better put most of the 

 lack of success down to "failure to profit by advice." I 

 have got all the numbers of the Fern Gazette from the 

 beginning ; I take in or see practically all the gardening 

 papers, and read all the fern articles in them. I have 

 corresponded with Mr. Draery till I feel sure his patience 

 is getting exhausted. In other words, I am not working 



