FERN BREEDING. 275 
fertilisation can therefore only occur between normals of the same 
species. Plant-breeding as applied to ferns has hitherto been almost 
entirely confined to British ferns, so far as systematic breeding for 
improved types is concerned. About fifty years ago the extraordinary 
number of ‘“wild’’ varieties which were found scattered about in the 
natural habitats of the forty odd species indigenous to Great Britain led 
to the formation of a body of specialists who devoted their leisure to 
hunting for new varieties and also to raising these from their spores on 
both propagative and selective lines. Some of the results were extra- 
ordinary, tripinnate wild varieties of a normally bipinnate type yielding at 
.once crops of even quinquepinnate forms, as in the case of Jones & Fox’s 
plumose Polystichum angulare. The writer in his “ superbum ”’ strain 
of Athyrium filix-femina has been similarly fortunate in that species, 
acquiring some magnificent plumose varieties, plus a maryellously 
tasselled section, the second generation of the first sport breaking 
into two distinct branches. 
My object, however, in addressing the International Conference is to 
indicate the peculiar value of the many beautiful varietal types of the British 
species as a means of introducing those types into closely allied exotic 
species. Many of the British types of variation have never so far been 
found to occur in exotics, and among these there are a number of forms 
which are not merely extremely curious, but also extremely beautiful. I 
may instance the Victoriw type of ‘Lady Fern’ as one of the uniques, in 
which the long slender fronds consist of slender pinne set on in duplicate 
at right angles to each othér, so that opposite pairs form a cross, and the 
whole frond a delicate lattice-work. Besides this remarkable feature, 
each division, and the frond itself, terminates in a long slender, many- 
stranded tassel. Unfortunately the species of Athyriwm are few, and 
several of those which are classed with it are, I fancy, doubtful allies, — 
the species being a botanic puzzle and classed with Asplenia and Poly- 
podia in a perplexing and, to my mind, unjustifiable way. The possible 
field of hybridising here is therefore a small one, but it might well be 
tried by joint sowings on the lines indicated at the outset of my paper. 
The British shield ferns (Polystichum), Lastree (Nephrodium), Poly- 
podium vulgare, Blechnum Spicant, the hartstongue (Scolopendriuwm 
vulgare), and the spleenworts, on the other hand, present a mass of 
varietal material which should be available for a considerable number 
of closely allied exotic species, and it is worthy of remark that exotic 
hybrids so obtained would probably, if tender, be considerably hardened 
by the alliance as well as beautified. A now well-known example of this 
kind is Polypodiwm Schneiderii, an undoubted cross between P. vulgare 
elegantissimum and Phlebodium aureum. This hybrid is nearly hardy 
and stands with impunity temperatures which kill the exotic parent 
entirely. There are many exotic species of Polypodiwm which would 
appear to be much nearer relatives than P. awrewm, and of which no 
varieties are known. P. vulgare abounds in handsome sports, and 
although the finest of all, the cambricums or plumosums, are perfectly 
barren and are not therefore available, there are still enough fine-divided 
and cristate forms to work upon. B. Spicant is in the same position with 
a multitude of exotic Blechnums and probably the Lomarias also 
