RELIABLE FERNS FOR DWELLING ROOMS 201 



the pinnae are much divided. The fronds 

 are usually a foot or so long and quite broad. 

 They are known under such trade names 

 as Ptersoniy Barrowsi^ Whitmani, etc. These 

 do well in the house but with the exception 

 of JVhit77iani the fronds are more or less 

 liable to revert to the type. This is no 

 doubt caused by the trying conditions found 

 in the living room — a dry heat and insuffi- 

 cient light. 



There is another sword fern which I 

 always like to grow because of the oddly 

 shaped pinnae: Nephrolepis davalliodes, var.' 

 furcans. The ends of the pinnae are divided 

 into spreading points like horns. This 

 plant is equally as strong a grower as the 

 Boston fern but the fronds have a much 

 more drooping habit. 



The sword ferns will grow in almost any 

 soil but a w^ll drained sandy loam is best. 



THE GLOSSY HOLLY FERN 



The glossy, dark green foliage of the holly 

 fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) always attracts 

 attention. The upper side of the pinnae 

 is very dark green, the under side is some- 

 what lighter green and studded with brown 



