228 Commercial Gardening 



tinguished from it by having the spore clusters on the margins instead 

 of parallel with or contiguous to the midrib. The best market kinds are 

 L. gibba and L. ciliata. The former has pinnatifid fronds, 1-2 ft. long 

 when full grown, deep green and elegantly waved ; while the latter 

 (L. ciliata) has fronds 6-12 in. long, divided almost down to the rachis or 

 midrib, the segments being deeply cleft and with fine teeth -like hair on the 

 margins. Both kinds are natives of New Caledonia, and may be regarded 

 as miniature tree Ferns of quick and easy growth in a warm greenhouse. 



LygfOdium. This genus contains the elegant " Snake's Tongue " or 

 "Climbing Ferns", recognized by their climbing stems, conjugate, palmate, 

 pinnate or pinnatifid fronds, forked free veins, extending beyond the 

 margin, and there forming compressed distichous spore-bearing spikelets. 



L. japonicum, which is found from the Himalayas to Japan and 

 North Australia, is one of the most popular for market work. L. pin- 

 natifidum is a fine strong-growing species also useful. They both flourish 

 in a rich spongy compost, and require abundance of water during growth 

 and also frequent syringings from May to October. L. japonicum should 

 be treated as a coolhouse Fern, and may, indeed, be grown without artificial 

 heat; but L. pinnatifidum requires warm greenhouse or stove treatment. 



Nephrodium (including Lastrea). A very large genus midway be- 

 tween the Aspidiums on one hand and the Nephrolepis and Poly podium s 

 on the other. Representatives are to be found in all parts of the world, 

 and are characterized by having a kidney-shaped indusium over the spore 

 clusters, free or anastomosing veins, and fronds pinnate or compound. For 

 market purposes the most important kinds are N. lepidum, a Brazilian 

 species, having a tufted caudex and light-green pinnate fronds with ser- 

 rated pinnules. N. patens, from the Tropics, has fronds 1-3 ft. long when 

 mature, with deeply cut, lance-shaped pinnae. N. erythrosorum, from Japan 

 and China, has ovate lance-shaped fronds 12-18 in. long, cut into lance- 

 shaped pinnae. They are beautifully tinted with bronzy red when young, 

 and are then very attractive and saleable. These three species are easily 

 grown in a greenhouse, and like plenty of water. They sell best when 

 grown in 5-in. pots, realizing from 6s. to 12s. per dozen. 



Amongst hardy kinds the best known are N. Filix-mas, the "Male 

 Buckler Fern", which has fronds 1-3 ft. long; N. dilatatum, the "Broad 

 Buckler Fern"; N. Oreopteris, the "Mountain Buckler Fern"; N. Thelyp- 

 teris, the "Marsh Buckler Fern"; and N. spinulosum. In the spring- 

 time quantities of the stems of these find their way to market and meet 

 with a fairly ready sale. 



Nephrolepis. The members of this genus are popularly known as 

 " Ladder Ferns " or " Fishbone Ferns ", chiefly from the shape of the fronds 

 of N. exaltata, the best -known and still most generally useful species. 

 The plants are distinguished by the slender runners or stolons so freely 

 produced from the old stems, by the pinnate fronds, free veins, roundish 

 spore clusters, arising from the apex of the upper branch of a vein, usually 

 near the margin, and by the kidney-shaped or noundish indusium, 



