FOLIAGE PLANTS 375 



with age. Keep an active growth all the time, not 

 allowing the plants to become pot-bound. Many finely 

 divided varieties require full sunlight for their best 

 development. 



606. Hare's-foot ferns, botanical classification. Order, 

 Polypodiacese ; genus, Davallia ; species : bullata ; fijiensis'; 

 dissecta ; divaricata ; pentaphylla ; epiphylla. 



607. Hare's-foot ferns, botanical characters. Davallia 

 is a genus characterized by having distinct root-stocks 

 which creep over the surface of the soil, or are pro- 

 cumbent. The fronds are mostly small and finely cut, 

 giving a graceful appearance to the plant. They are 

 used for hanging baskets and the root-stocks are often 

 bound over sphagnum moss 'by the use of copper wire. 

 They are then sold, while dormant, as fern balls or 

 baskets. 



Habitat. Java, China, Japan, Australia. 



608. Propagation and culture. Propagation is by 

 division and by spores. Davallias are always better 

 when grown in shallow pans. They should be potted 

 firmly in a compost of one-half chopped sphagnum and 

 one-half leaf-mold, with some charcoal, and kept in a 

 temperature of 60 to 65. The pots should be turned 

 frequently to insure symmetrical plants, and kept in a 

 light, airy spot. They do well when suspended from the 

 sash-bars. They require abundant syringing every bright 

 day. 



PALMS 



609. Botanical classification. There are about 130 

 genera and 1000 known species of palms, but comparatively 

 few are found in greenhouses (Fig. 43). Among the 

 principal genera and species are : 



