FERN 



577 



■iably 



sufficiently dry to ha 



■ -[M.r.^^ sin. uM be put up 

 in uir-tiyiit jars until re- 

 in This uianupr, perfect 



jured, even after keeping 



I>rn,„:,j„li.n, hy Other Means. -Some Ferns 

 littl^• plants at the ends of pinnte and of fronds, 

 upon attainiui; to sufficient size may l.c d.ta.ln d 

 parent plants, planted into shallow, w. ll-.liaiinil 

 pans, and for a week or two left in rli.- ini-iiaL 

 frame, where they will soon form ro..r~, wii. n lii. 



be potted. Among such are Aclianin • , 



JEdgeworthii, A. lunulatum, y&t. i/./ . - 

 nium Belangerii, A. buliifenim, A . s 

 nogramma schizophyJJa, rar. ijh'ri . 'r 

 ilare, yar. proliffi-Km , and many ]n : , 



A very useful deo 

 lioides, var. fiireans 

 men plant in a comji 

 quantities, the old | 



T.. ^n 



irge 



812. AROod 



atmosphere causes parts of fronds of a great many 

 plants to turn black and to rot off, besides inducing the 

 development of almost incurable fungoid diseases. 



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

 ful grower should alwaj's 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 



(i in''h''s ..t' -iiit.i.r < 1 -■ 1 :in'l plaf-d in a house where a 

 bcttMni III J "I ■' I i i.i; I'l' sii'nred, when they will 

 siH.n ti.rni i ' ' "!' sli'.rt, strong fronds. At 



this tinj.' ihi> iii:i-. 1.1 .|;\ nlrd into a number of small 



parent plants. A somewhat slower method is to plant 

 out a number of plants on a bench into 5 inches of soil, 

 in which soil the rhizomes, running over the surface, 

 will form a number of small plants, which may be de- 

 tached and grown on. 



A beautiful Fern is Adiantnm Farleyense, and it de- 

 servedly ranks as the greatest favorite among Fern- 

 lovers. It is best propagated by division. From old 

 plants, cut <5fE all fronds down to the rhizomes, wash off 

 soil, cut rhizomes into pieces Vj-inch long, insert same 

 into well-drained Pern boxes about K-inch apart, in 

 V4 inches of clean, sharp propagating sand. Place same 

 in in-.i|.a-atin- fraim- in a temperature of 70° F. In this 

 pi.Mti.ni .ai-h littl,. frai^-nit-nt of rhizome will form two 

 or thni. litili- fron.K m al)uut 15 or 20 days, when they 

 may Im- |.ott<-d ■■It sin;;ly into 2-inch pots and kept in a 

 temperature of 7u'^ F. The soil best adapted to A. Far- 

 leijense is liuely chopped sod which has been piled for 

 about six months, with one-flfth well decomposed cow 

 manure added. To attain perfection in growth and col- 

 oring, A. Farleyense should be kept in a light, airy and 

 sunny house, in which every condition of moisture and 

 atmosphere can be kept under absolute control. In a 

 _„ house of this kind, the greatly 



fl i~ ^ admired and beautifully pinkish 



:.^ ' ,' 7 ^■> tint may be easily obtained and 



-. fronds will be hardy and of good 



^ , substance. A temperature of 70° 



^; f-J^ F. is at all times desirable. 



n.nrml Bfmnrks „n Fern- 



qr.nri,,,,.- Tn srf.'.Y F^Tns such 

 as ar- u-.-^l f ■ T ianlin)^r.-s and 

 df.i.i-ativL- w.jrli (FiK. M:Ji. and 

 nn/nti^^ui-d iu the two i rci^-eding 

 lists, a temperature of no less 

 than 5.5° F. should be maintained 

 at all times at night in coldest 

 weather, with a rise of temperature in the daytime of 10 

 or 15°. To keep Perns in a healthy and growinu' ■•■■mli- 

 tion, to prevent and to kill insect pests ami .li-^ .■■-■ s. a 

 proper condition of atmosphere should be caret n 1 1 v n la i n - 

 tained at all times. Extremes in heat, moistun. or ■Iry- 

 ness should never be allowed. On a warm, dry, sunnv 

 day, when a great deal of air has to be admitted," much of 

 the moisture of the house is consequently carried off; it 

 will be of great benefit then to syringe the Ferns once 

 or twice a day, also to occasionally dampen floor of 

 houses. An excessively dry atmosphere induces the de- 

 velopment of the very troublesome pests, thrips and 

 red spider. On damp and rainy days a saturated at- 

 mosphere should be prevented by supplying a little ar- 

 tificial heat, even if some air has to be admitted at the 

 same time. This slight expense of heating on damp 

 days will abundantly pay for itself by causing the 

 growth of strong, thrifty plants. An excessively moist 



habit of gv 



home-made Fe 



l^iiorly shaped individual 

 I the coloring will be greatly 

 superior. H\ mi,' all these points and by 



continually s^i^. im^ inin ihe most perfect types of 

 Ferns from the j^.unt; j.lauts, we can in a few years 

 work up a very desirabla and superior stock. The same 

 stock plants of the rapid-growing varieties of Ferns 

 should not be carried over for more than three or four 

 years, but young and more desirable plants should con- 

 tinually be selected ami ^'n^wn to t.aki' their places. 



The stock should be >liitt.^l inti. larger pots when- 

 ever necessary, and pla.ad in a liL^ht, airy house, in 

 which all necessary comlitions an' under perfect con- 

 trol, and in which a temperature in coldest 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 stock- 

 house 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 varieties, such, for 

 instance, as Al-sophilas, Dicksonias, Cyatheas, Cibo- 

 tiunis, Pteris Tremitla, P. argyrexpa, some Davallias, 

 Polystichuni coriaceiim, etc.. which, if given too much 

 nourishment, will often be very slow in setting spores. 



Insects which are most troublesome to Ferns are 

 thri|is. ri-d spider, srah- and mealy bug. They are 

 mainly |>ri-s.nr in a Ti.n <lr\- atmosphere. Thrips, red 



sphlir and ]ni-aly hnu'ai asily prevented by a prop- 



*n-ly nn-isttiifd arnn'splirr*'. also by spraying of foliage 

 once a week with tiil>acco 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 50 gallons of water add one quart of the ex- 

 tract, 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 2K-inch pots. 



Bearing in mind the foregoing advice, the amateur 

 Fern-grower may determine the proper way in which to 

 raise his plants.' H^may not have a Fern house, but he 

 can have a tight glass box or Wardian case (Pig. 813). 



