98 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 
dry off quickly near an open north or east window. 
They should always be given as much light as pos- 
sible, without direct sunlight, and as much air as 
possible while maintaining the proper temperature. 
Many of the ferns can be increased either by run- 
ners or division, and these are easily propagated at 
home. Those which are grown from spores (the 
fern’s seeds) it will be better to get from the flo- 
rist’s. 
Most of the ferns belong to one of three groups, 
the sword ferns (Nephrolepis), the maidenhairs 
(Adiantum) or the spider ferns (Pteris). The dis- 
tinguishing feature of the sword ferns is their long 
pointed fronds; the maidenhairs command atten- 
tion by their beautiful feathery foliage, in some 
varieties as delicate as the filmiest lace; and the 
spider ferns, seen usually in mixed varieties in 
dishes or fern pans, are attractive for their shades 
of green, gray, white and silver, and compact 
growth. 
THE SWORD FERNS 
The old widely popular sword fern was Nephro- 
lepis exaltata, but the original form has been almost 
entirely replaced by new varieties developed from it, 
the most widely known of which is the Boston fern 
(N. ex. var. Bostoniensis). The wide popularity 
of this fern is due to both its beauty and its hard- 
iness, as it will stand more ill usage than any other 
