196 ^lA^SACHUSETTS HORTICtTLTHRAL SOCIETY. 



of innumerable grain-like bodies termed spores, the production of 

 which is the ultimate end toward which the Avhole life-work of a 

 fern is directed. 



The enormous quantity of spores which a single fern plant 

 produces annually is something almost Iteyond computation ; but 

 it is so great that if all the spores produced by all the ferns in 

 ^existence for one year only were to germinate and consummate the 

 purpose for which they are created, they would speedily overrun 

 the earth. But here, as in other directions, are seen the wonderful 

 provisions of nature for equalizing the distribution of life forms. 

 It has been estimated that a single fern will produce in one season 

 one thousand million of spores, and that a siaagle frond of Aspid- 

 ■iictn Filfx-mas is capable of producing eighteen millions of plants. 

 Now if we consider the number of fronds which a thrifty plant 

 will support we shall begin to form some idea of the enormous 

 increase which a single plant might be capable of. If we consider 

 further how gTeat a number of individual plants there are in 

 existence, we may well be amazed at the almost inconceivably vast 

 number of ferns whicli a single year's dissemination of spores is 

 <!apable of producing. But it is not until we consider still further 

 how infiuitesimally small a fractional portion of the whole all this 

 is that we begin to realize, or form an intelligent conception of the 

 magnitude of this grand universe and its marvellous creations. 



If we shake gently a mature fern frond, spores will be seen to 

 fall in a showery mass of dust-like powder which very inuch 

 resembles in general appearance the pollen of flowering plants, 

 such, indeed, as one sees every spring distributed over the surfaces 

 of sluggish pools and streams from willow and alder aments. 



But this resemblance goes no farther. Pollen grains in them- 

 selves have no germinating power whatever, and remain inert until 

 the3" perish, unless they come into contact with some stigmatic sur- 

 face. Per contra, every spore has within itself the power of ger- 

 minating, and under favorable conditions is capable of producing 

 A plant organism. "We shall see, however, in a moment, that the 

 plant organism which its germination produces is not a fern, and 

 bears no resemblance Avhatever to tlie parent plant from which the 

 spore was produced. 



Herein lies the fundamental distinction between a spore and a 

 seed. A seed contains, plainly visible within itself, the rudiments 

 of a new plant, which develops at once, whenever germination 



