FERNS 



FERNS 



1213 



although the composition as prescribed is preferred, as 

 charcoal keeps the soil sweet and may spare time for 

 repotting. 



In potting ferns after they pass 4-inch pots, a pottmg- 

 stick should always be used as the potter cannot very 

 well firm them with his fingers, and it secures eveness in 

 potting. Ferns should be potted tight, especially old 

 plants. Also old plants should be partly shaken out 

 and the roots shortened somewhat, and if carefully 

 handled will quickly rcestabhsh themselves and make 

 better plants. A potting-stick is very handy also for 

 piessing the compost between rhizomss, and it can be 

 done much more neatly than with the hand. 



In the selection and growing of stock plants, the care- 

 ful grower should always be on the watch for types 

 which are most perfect in shape, in character of indi- 

 vidual fronds, in coloring, freedom of producing spores, 

 and exemption from the attacks of insects and fungous 

 diseases. In a large number of ferns a great difference 

 between the different plants of the same species will be 

 apparent to the careful observer. Some plants of same 

 species have beautifully developed fronds, but are 

 carried on long, weak stems, which makes them unfit 

 for general use. Others may be of compact, sturdy 

 habit of growth, but with poorly shaped 

 individual fronds. In some individuals 

 the coloring will be greatly superior. By 

 closely studying all these points and by 

 continually selecting only the most per- 

 fect types of ferns from the young plants, 

 one can in a few years work up a very 

 desirable and superior stock. The same 

 stock plants of the rapid-growing varie- 

 ties of ferns should not be carried over 

 for more than three or four years, but 

 young and more desirable plants should 

 continually be selected and grown to 

 take their places. 



The stock should be shifted into larger 

 pots whenever necessary, and placed in 

 a light, airy house, in which all neces- 

 sary conditions are under perfect con- 

 trol, and in which a temperature in cold- 

 est weather of 55° F. at night, with a 

 rise of 10° or 15° in daytime, can always 

 be maintained. The house should be 

 shaded just enough to prevent fronds 

 from turning yellow. Proper attention to atmospheric 

 conditions of stockhouse should never be neglected. 

 Stock plants should not be permitted to remain pot- 

 bound for too long a period of time, except with a few 

 kinds, such as alsophilas, dicksonias, cyatheas, cibo- 

 tiums, Pteris tremula, P. argyrsea, some davallias, and 

 Polystichuvi coriaceum, which, if given too much nour- 

 ishment, will often be very slow in setting spores. 



Insects which are most troublesome to ferns are 

 thrips, red spider, scale and mealy-bug. They are 

 mainly present in a too-dry atmosphere. Thrips, red 

 spider and mealy-bug are easily prevented by a prop- 

 erly moistened atmosphere, also by spraying of foliage 

 once a week with tobacco water. As tobacco greatly 

 varies in strength, every grower will have to determine 

 to his own satisfaction how strong to make his solution. 

 The preparation known as "Rose-leaf tobacco extract," 

 has proved very efficient in destroying these insect 

 pests. To fifty gallons of water add one quart of the 

 extract, and apply with some good insecticide sprayer 

 and a force pump. Fifty gallons of this solution will be 

 enough to spray 100,000 ferns in 234-inch pots. 



Bearing in mind the foregoing advice, the amateur 

 fern-grower may determine the proper way in which to 

 raise his plants. He may not have a fern-house, but he 

 can have a tight glass box or Wardian case. The bot- 

 tom should be a zinc tray, to prevent drip on the floor 

 and to prevent too rapid drying out of the soil. The 

 top or roof of the box should be hinged, so that it can 



1489. 



be raised. In this miniature greenhouse many interest- 

 ing ferns can be grown. Lycopodiums and selaginellaa 

 (which see) are treated in much the same way as ferns. 



NiCHOL N. Brdckner. 



X. E. E. ScHMITT.t 



List of tender ferns. (X. E. E. Schmitt.) 



Acrostichum. A widely distributed class of ferns found in tropica 

 of both hemispheres; some have fronds that are solitary, while 

 others are pinnatifid; some are deep-rooting and re<!uire a loamier 

 soil, while others are shallow-rooting and require a very shallow 

 and porous soil. They are a class varied in many respects; the 

 fertile fronds are totally covered on the under side with the spores, 

 generally brown in color, and when ripe, after shedding the spores, 

 will perish and be succeeded by the barren fronds. Propagated by 

 division and spores. Winter 5.5° to 00° night. They should have a 

 perfect drainage, the deep-rooting ones of ordinary depth, but the 

 shallow-rooting are best grown in a depth of about 2 inches of soil 

 and very porous, as for davallias, the shallow-rooting species; they 

 all love a moist and shady atmosphere except A. aureum, which 

 will stand sun with its roots in 2 inches 

 ^^ of water; it is found in Florida and 

 .,'^>V^ tropical America. 



Actinopteris, A low - growing and 

 charming class of ferns with palm-like 

 or rayed fronds. They thrive best in a 

 compost of loam, peat, chopped sphag- 

 num moss, coarse saud and crocks 

 (broken small), in equal parts: they 

 should have ample drainage, filling the 

 pots about half-full with crocks. They require 

 a good hght and plenty of moisture; they are 

 best propagated by spores; they can also be 

 divided. Winter temperature, 58° to bO°. 



Adiantum. Themaidenhairfernswith fronds, 

 the individual pinna; of which vary from not 

 more than J-einch in width in A. graciliimum 

 to the large A. peruvianum with pinnse 2J-^ to 

 3 inches long. They are hardy, stove and tem- 

 perate ferns, and require a deep rich soil and 

 plenty of water during the growing season, and 

 less during the resting-period. which is u.sually 

 from December to the latter part of February. 

 They should be allowed to get fairly dry but 

 not wilted before they are watered again. In 

 most species or varieties of garden origin, re- 

 move part of the old fronds just as growth 

 commences; with some of the denser-growing 

 sorts, all the fronds may be cut away just as the 

 new growth is commencing, as it is very tedious 

 and there is not much gained thereby. It should 

 be cut close, but with sparser or large-growing 

 sorts as A. trapeziforme and many other strong- 

 foliaged sorts, it is better to leave all the good 

 foliage possible to stimulate the new growth; 

 turn the plants out of the pot, cut away the 

 lower half of the ball and trim in the sides 

 of the old ball close to the rhizomes with a 

 large knife, then loosen slightly the edge of 

 the ball with a sharp-pointed stick so that the roots will feel the 

 effect of the new move readily; never round off the sides in a 

 slant or sloping manner as the old crowns are very closely knit 

 together and trouble would be experienced in getting them wet 

 through again. Should they become too dry, give a little water 

 every few minutes until they are given enough to penetrate the 

 old ball. The crowns should be let down a little deeper than 

 they were when turned out of the pot. The surface should be 

 slightly pointed here and there which will help the water 

 more readily to penetrate. Have the pots well drained, placing 

 a thin layer of sphagnum moss over the crocks which will keep 

 the drainage clean. Fill in the soil, pack firmly with a potting 

 stick up to the height required to receive the ball, which should be 

 low enough to give a light covering of soil; they throw out their 

 new roots from top, bottom and sides; then place in a layer of soil, 

 tightening it with the potting stick, place layer after tightening as 

 before until it has reached the required height; give a fair watering, 

 fill about twice the space left from the top of the soil to the rim of 

 the pot. They will not require any water for two or three days, 

 then give a hght sprinkling with a watering-pot with a rose on. 

 They will require to be looked over everj- other day or so. In about 

 a week's time they will require a moderate watering, but not so 

 heavy as at first, .\fter potting, an increase of 8° to 10° in tempera- 

 ture, both by night and by day, is necessary. Some of the smaller- 

 growing sorts will require a deeper drainage and smaller pots. 

 Adiantums with a few exceptions will not tolerate syringing at any 

 time, particularly during dull or cloudy weather, as damp may 

 settle in the foliage and ruin several plants, but care must be taken 

 that they have sufficient water at the roots, as in the growing season 

 they take a good supply of water. The temperature in winter for 

 greenhouse ferns should be 52° by night, adding 6° to 8° by day; 

 stove should be 56° to 58° by night, adding about 6° by day. 

 Adiantums require a mixture of chopped or hand-broken fibry sod 

 that has been stacked about six months, one-half part peat, one- 

 half part leaf-mold, one part well-decayed cow-manure preferred 

 (as they are good feeders), one and one-half part sand, one part 

 chopped sphagnum, one-half part broken crocks and one-half 

 broken charcoal about ^/i inch in size, using fine and all; place in 



Cyrtomium falcatum. 

 Young plant. 



