148 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



that the pots must be carefully crocked, so that the drainage is 

 perfect ; for without effective drainage the plants will soon be in 

 anything but a thrifty condition. A shift once a year, in the spring, 

 will be quite enough for specimens, but young plants can be potted 

 oftener and at any time, though it is not wise to shift them after the 

 beginning of August, as it is much easier to winter plants in small 

 pots full of roots than in pots of larger size not half-rooted. 



With ferns, as with most other subjects, the quieter they are 

 kept through the winter the better, for even if the health is not 

 impaired by keeping them in a high temperature, the growth is 

 generally so poor and weak that it dies off some time during the 

 following summer. "With regard to the best temperature, I find my 

 plants do remarkably well with an average of 60° for the season of 

 rest, and an average of 75° for the season of growth, and, of course, 

 shaded from bright sunshine from the beginning of March until the 

 end of September. At other times it is best to expose them freely 

 to the light, as they do not thrive so well in such a dense shade as 

 many other kinds of ferns. 



There are two ways to increase the stock; one by taking 

 offsets, or, more correctly speaking, dividing the crown, and the other 

 by means of spores or seeds. The first requires skilful manipula- 

 tion, and it will be a repetition of the " goose with the golden eggs" 

 for an inexperienced hand to attempt it, as it is just possible that 

 the parent plant may be killed by the operation. Raising seedling 

 plants is the only method I shall recommend, as there is no risk 

 attached to it, and the young plants are more vigorous than those 

 obtained by division. "We simply place a few crocks in the bottom 

 of an ordinary seed-pan, and then fill with peat and sand chopped 

 up roughly. It will be as well to carry it up in a spherical form 

 above the level of the rim, to reduce to the lowest possible 

 minimum the danger of the seedlings " damping " off. To scatter 

 the spores over this draw the hand briskly up the underneath side 

 of the mature fronds, so as to dislodge the spores, and have the pan 

 underneath for them to fall upon. This can be done with a careful 

 hand without injuring the fronds. After this, cover with a bell- 

 glass, and place in a warm, shady corner. After the plants come 

 up and progress in growth, give a little air at first, and gradually 

 increase it until they are stout enough to bear full exposure, when 

 the glass can be removed altogether, and the plants potted singly 

 into small pots. The pan should be placed in three or four inches 

 of water when the soil gets dry, for when watered overhead the 

 spores may be washed away, but by dipping, the whole body of soil 

 is moistened, without the least disturbance of it. 



All the varieties which I shall name here are first-rate, and the 

 only rule to guide the reader in selecting from amongst them is the 

 expenditure that can be afforded for purchasing them. If two only 

 are wanted, G. chrysophjlla and G. peruviana argyr&pliylla should 

 be preferred. The first is one of the very best of the section with 

 gold fronds, and the other occupies the same position in the section 

 of silver fronds. G. Laucheana is another grand golden species ; 

 and G. Wetterihalliana, a very elegant companion in the silver class. 



