CHAPTER XIV 



Reliable Ferns for the Dwelling Rooms 



A selection of a round dozen that will endure the same 

 conditions as the best-natured flowering plants — 

 The kinds that anyone can surely grow even in a 

 city flat. 



The ferns vie with the rubber plant for 

 first place in the esteem of the window 

 gardener. Their finely cut and sometimes 

 oddly shaped fronds have a graceful airy 

 effect possessed by few other plants. Many 

 people believe that it is impossible to grow 

 ferns in the house or in the window garden, 

 but there are perhaps a couple of dozen 

 which will do very well indeed if given the 

 same care as the flowering plants. 



BOSTON AND OTHER SWORD FERNS 



The most popular fern is the common 

 sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata). The type 

 is rarely seen in the florist's shops it having 

 been superseded by the Boston fern (N> 

 exaltata, var. Bostoniensis of the trade). 



This is the best of all the sword ferns. 



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