FERNS 



a small, green, platelike object. This is called the pro- 

 thal'li-um. When fully grown it is less than half an inch 

 across. On the under side of this are two sets of organs. 

 One set does the work of the stamens of the flower. The 

 other set does the work of the pistils. By the union of 

 the contents of these two sets of or- 

 gans a new fern plant is formed. 



Young Fern Plants, a, Prothallia from which Young Plants Grow; 

 6, Leaves of the Young Fern Plants. 



The first leaves of the little plant are very small 

 and simple, not at all like the later ones. They are so 

 nearly alike in most of our ferns that you cannot tell 

 one from another when the plants are very small. 

 The young fern receives its food through the prothal- 

 lium until it is old enough to take care of itself. Then 

 the prothallium dies away. 



Do not mistake spores for seeds. Both fall from 

 the parent plant when fully ripe. Both begin to grow 

 if they fall upon a moist soil. But a seed, when planted, 

 sends up a plant like the parent ; a fern plant does not 



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