NEPHROLEPIS 75 



both surfaces with white powder. Wettenhalliana varies, 

 but the best type is the prettiest crested silver form. 

 There are several intermediate varieties of both the 

 silver and golden Ferns. Then we have G. schizophylla 

 g/oriosa, a splendid Fern for suspended pots or baskets. 

 This has long, drooping, finely-cut fronds, and produces 

 bulbils, or rather young plants, on the extremity of the 

 rachis, and in some instances I have seen the young 

 plants on the side pinnae. One of the most useful for 

 a cool houfe is G. Martensi\ the surface of the fronds 

 is a bright deep green, with a slight yellow powdering 

 beneath. There is no other Fern which comes more 

 freely from spores than this, and it often proves a 

 troublesome weed where choice Ferns are sown. There 

 are numerous other pretty varieties of the gold and silver 

 Ferns. Taking the other distinct species, that known 

 generally as Dictyogramma Japonica and the variegated 

 variety are both useful, especially the latter. They are 

 nearly, if not quite, hardy, and may be increased by 

 division or from spores. In warmth they are evergreen, 

 but under cool treatment they lose their fronds in 

 Winter. Like most other Japanese plants, they start 

 into growth early in the Spring, and if exposed are 

 liable to suffer from Spring frosts. G. caudiformis is 

 another, with thick leathery fronds, and elliptica is also 

 worthy of mention. It may be noted that those belong- 

 ing to the Dictyogrammas are totally different in appear- 

 ance to those of the ordinary type of Gymnogrammas. 



NEPHROLEPIS 



This is not an extensive genus, but all the known 

 species, of which there are about a dozen, are worthy of 

 cultivation. And during the past few years many 

 beautiful varieties have been added. It is not many 

 years ago that market growers in this country and in 



