FER 



223 



FER 



through a fine sieve. Level the surface [ slight depression should be made with 

 of the mould, and water it freely with a the point of the pen-knife on tlie sur- 

 very fine rose ; let the pot stand a few ■ face of the mould in the new pot, and 

 minutes till the water is absorbed, and the patch inserted, taking care not to 

 then carry it to a dry part of the house. , cover any part of the plants with the 

 "Sowing. — Place the papers con- i earth. They may stand about a quarter 

 taining the fern seed for a minute or of an inch from patch to patch; and 

 two on the flue, or some other place when the operation is completed, water 

 where they will become thoroughly the seedlings and place the pot under 

 dry : then open the paper and carefully the glasB. 



dust the spores (seed) over the surface " These transplanted seedlings will 

 of the moist earth, taking care not to frequently succeed better than those in 



sow too thick. The pots may then be 

 placed in a shady place on a level sur- 

 face of wood or stone, to prevent the 

 intrusion of worms, and covered with 

 the hand-glass. The germination of 

 ferns differs in different species; some 

 require sis weeks and more ; and i 



the seed-pots; indeed with very slow 

 growing seedlings it is frequently ad- 

 visable to transfer the whole to another 

 pot, as they will generally root better 

 in the fresh than in the old earth. 



" When the seedlings have fully de- 

 veloped their perfect fronds, (and not 



during that time the surface of the earth ; till then,) the glasses maybe withdrawn 

 in the pots should appear dry, a very ' The pot with the seedlings should then 

 slight watering must be given with the be placed in a perfectly shaded place, 

 fine rose. 



"After-culture. — It will be necessary 

 to examine the surface of the earth fre- 



and more frequently supplied with 



water. 



" They may remain in the seed-pots 

 quenlly with a pocket microscope, in ' until three or four fronds are produced, 

 order to discover any mouldiness or when it will be advisable to shift them 

 minute algaj that may "appear ; such ap- into other pots and place them at wider 

 pearances indicate that too much water distances. 



has been used; and in that case the " ISIany ferns grow very slowly while 

 glasses sliould be taken off for a short in the state of primary frond, and re- 



time, and the pots removed to the full 

 light. 



" Ifaftcr this the mouldiness continue 

 to spread, a knife may be introduced 

 between the pot and the earth, and the 

 latter slightly raised up so as to allow 

 the moisture to drain off. 



" As the seedlings acquire strength, 

 they may be removed from the shade 



quire many months before their perfect 

 fronds are developed. 



" It is chiefly for these slow growers 

 that glasses are required ; others, such 

 as most of the (Jymnogrammas, some 

 species of Nephrodium, Ptoris, &c., 

 come up readily in open pots, but with 

 those which recjuire from nine to eight- 

 een months to produce their second 



to places where they will have more ! fronds, glasses are indispensable 

 light; but they must not be exposed to "Great care must be taken not to 

 the full sun in summer as long as they allow worms to get into the pots, as they 

 are under the hand-glass. In winter, will in a very short time destroy the 

 however, when the sun is less power- [ whole crop. The only way to get rid 

 ful, all those seedlings that have per- I of these pests, is to place the pot with 

 fccted, or nearly perfected their first the glass over it, on a tolerably hot 

 fronds, may be exposed to the full flue, or some other well-heated surface, 

 light; this will prevent the spreading of when the heat ascending through the 

 mouldiness, which the moist atmo- earth in the pot will drive the worm 



sphere under the glasses is so apt to out. 



produce at this season of the year. 



" It may not be amiss to observe 



"When it happens that from too here, that in collecting spores for repro- 

 thick sowing the seedlings are much i duction, it is belter tp select a frond on 

 crowded, they should be thinned out which the theca; (seed vessels) have not 

 carefully with the point of a pen-knife, opened ; if they have changed to a 

 taking patches of from six to a dozen brown colour, and one or two have 

 plants and transferring them to another j opened, they will be in the best possi- 

 pot, prepared in ail respects as if for I ble state for transmission to a distance ; 

 sowing spores. In planting these, a ' portions of the frond should then be in- 



