INTEODUCTION. xix 



nically termed, thinly over the surface of fresh pots, in 

 fresh compost, at about an inch apart. In this position 

 they may be allowed to grow till the fronds touch each 

 other, then pot them off singly into thumb-pots, place 

 them in a shady place till they are fairly established, and 

 then subject them to the same management as the larger 

 established plants. 



By Division. Many kinds of Ferns can be propagated 

 successfully by division. Some send out stolones or creeping 

 rootshoots the Adiantum assimile is a notable example- 

 and these can be easily detached from the parent plant, 

 potted and shaded for a few days, and then soon make good 

 plants. These suckers, as they may be termed, are most 

 conveniently detached at the time of potting ; or a pot well 

 filled with them may be taken to the potting-bench, the soil 

 shaken off, and the plant divided into as many divisions as 

 it will make, then potted separately, and shaded till esta- 

 blished. Others that do not send out these side shoots or 

 suckers may be divided into several plants, care being taken 

 that each division has a good lot of roots to it. The 

 Adiantum cuneatum, and several others, may be divided 

 into several pieces or plants in this manner. One point we 

 must not forget to mention, and that is, young plants are 

 most certain to grow when thus divided. Old plants we have 

 divided into apparently well-rooted divisions,. and such we 

 have often found to fail nearly entirely. Divisions of two- 

 year-old plants, that have several crowns, succeed almost 

 every one ; but from plants three or four years old they 

 almost as generally fail to grow. 



INSECTS. 

 The brown scale is, perhaps, the most troublesome of all 



