CONSIDERATIONS OF SOUS. 123 



The Woodwardia radicans bears tubers from tbe axils of the leaves 

 near to the end of the frond, which, on being bent to the ground, 

 strike root readily ; and the same phenomenon appears in the As- 

 plenium proliferum. In these varied modes of reproduction, it is 

 remarkable that the spiral evolution, or crosier-like form, in the 

 young fronds is always retained. But there are several of the 

 rarer foreign Ferns, from which it is not probable young plants 

 will be obtained by any of the preceding ways of production, as 

 they throw out no offsets at the roots, such as Blechnum concova- 

 Sense, Asplenium crinitum, all the Anemias, &c. ; and there only 

 remains, therefore, the means of our multiplying the species by 

 seeds. 



That Ferns bad seed al all was not generally known, and indeed 

 very frequently disputed, even to the time of the celebrated Cryp- 

 togamist Swartz, who received fronds of various species from Mr. 

 Dickson, but who writes that, " though be had practised all the 

 rules laid down by the botanists of his day, he could never succeed 

 in raising plants from them : " and there are several excellent 

 botanists in this country, who ai"e still unsuccessful. It is true 

 that in most houses where there is a collection of foreign Ferns, 

 spontaneous production from seed takes place, though the parties 

 are unable, on receiving a frond from elsewhere, to raise plants 

 from its seeds. 



Having become tolerably fortunate in growing them from seed, 

 I will endeavour, in my next communication, to point out some of 

 the errors which at first occasioned my failure, and such causes 

 18 have chiefly contributed to my present success. 



Popple wick, May 2d, 1835. J. R, 



ARTICLE II. — Considerations of Soils. By the Author 

 ..I the " Domestic (hardener's Manual," C.M.H.S. 

 While penning the various periodicals on Horticultural sub- 

 1 e< ii frequent cause to regret a want of due precision 



In terms; and, therefore, have resolved to solicit the attention of 

 who write on thorn, that henceforward readers may be freed 

 from thai uncertainty and confusion which inevitably results from 

 eel of due discrimination. 

 Bj the w.rd bam, garden) i nlwaj intend to express an earth 



