FERNS. 



176 



FIGS. 



ferns, Raising from Seed. Mixed 

 varieties of fern seed may be obtained 

 from Messis. W. and J. Birkenhead, Fern 

 Nursery- Sale, at is., 2s. 6d., and 55. per 

 packet. The seeds of ferns, or spores, as 

 thev -if. commonly called, are contained 

 in sv-oie cases on the under part of the 

 froniljv, which are green at first, but 

 ultimately turn to a brown colour when 

 ripe. In some ferns the spores, have the 

 appearance and shape of long narrow 

 strips ; in others they are circular, and 

 look like spots. When the spore cases 

 are nearly ready to burst, the fronds 

 should be cut off and laid on paper, on 

 which the spores will be received when 

 they fall out. Fern spores should be sown 

 on the surface of a compost of sand and 

 loam firmly pressed together at the top, 

 and made moist throughout. A piece of 

 glass should be placed over the top of the 

 pot, and the pot itself placed in a cool and 

 shady place, and water should be kept in 

 the saucer in which it stands, to ensure 

 the continuance of a moist condition for 

 the soil. When the young plants show 

 themselves, air may be given by raising 

 but not removing the glass, and when 

 large enough transplant them into small 

 pots. 



Ferns, Watering. All ferns, whether 

 within doors or out of doors, require their 

 foliage to be kept moist ; and some, 

 indeed, such as the Royal Fern (Osmunda 

 regalis\ will thrive best when exposed to 

 the constant splash of falling water. To 

 afford the proper amount of moisture by 

 artificial means, the best thing that can be 

 done is to syringe them with a syringe 

 having the finest possible rose, from which 

 the water will issue in the form of spray. 

 This mode oi watering the fronds should 

 be resorted to both in the open air and in 

 the glazed fernery. With regard to water- 

 i ig the roots, if the surface soil has a dry 

 aspect, it will be necessary to give water. 



When in pots, the usual test of knocking 

 the pot sharply with a piece of wood may 

 be applied. If the sound is dead and 

 dull, it may then be assumed that the 

 soil is sufficiently moist, but if it be 

 hollow and tolerably resonant, it must be 

 taken to indicate that the ball of earth in 

 which the roots are is getting dry and 

 requires water. 



Figs. 



Almost any well-drained soil will suit the 

 fig-tree when grown in the open air. Care, 

 however, must be taken that it is not too 

 lich, for if so, the tree will not produce 

 fruit. Three sorts of figs are usually grown 

 the Brown Turkey, Brunswick, and 

 Black Ischia : all require a wall and a 

 sunny situation. The best mode of train- 

 ing is perpendicular. Fix to the wall as 

 many permanent leaders as are required 

 at from 10 inches to 15 inches apart ; get 

 rid of all unnecessary wood by disbudding, 

 and stop the fruit-bearing shoots at the end 

 of August or beginning of September, ac- 

 cording to the habit of the tree and the 

 nature of the season. This operation is 

 performed by merely pinching off or squeez- 

 ing flat the terminal growing-point. This 

 stopping, the object of which is to induce 

 the formation of fruit for the ensuing sea- 

 son, is a matter of much nicety. A too 

 early stopping with most trees will cause a 

 too early development of fruit, the con- 

 sequence of which will be that it will not 

 stand through the frost of winter. The 

 fruit for next year must not be much larger 

 than a pea when winter sets in. 



Figs under glass may be started at 50 

 in February. Maintain moist atmosphere, 

 water copiously, remove terminal buds of 

 young shoots. 



Figs, List of. 



Of the different varieties in cultivation 

 the following, perhaps, are the most 

 useful : 



