Ferns 



( 342 ) 



Ferns 



to water as more vigorous subjects. When nicely 

 arranged, bold masses of tufa, planted with suit- 

 able species and varieties, have an excellent effect. 

 (For further particulars, see FERNS.) 



FERNS. 



A very large and important family of plants 

 (ord. Filices), containing upwards of 8,500 species, 

 and many thousands of varieties. They are dis- 

 tributed all over the globe, although they find 

 their headquarters in tropical America and tropical 

 Asia. Even the Arctic zone is not excluded. They 

 are found at all elevations, from 10,000' to 12,< 00' 

 in the Tropics, down to the sea level. Many varie- 

 ties, particularly of hardy Ferns, have originated 

 under cultivation, and these, with the recognised 

 species, go to make up an immense variety of 

 habit, size, shape, cutting of the fronds, and even 

 colour. Between one and two thousand species are 

 in general cultivation. On the whole, Ferns thrive 

 best in spots shaded from direct sunlight. Plenty 

 of diffused light is a necessity. All F"erns have 

 their resting periods, when a lower temperature, 

 and less water at the root, are advisable. 



Methods of Culture. Ferns may be grown in a 

 variety of ways. Pot culture is at once handy and 

 reliable, and almost all of the plants do well in 

 pots if given the requisite temperature. Hanging 

 baskets are very suitable receptacles for a con- 

 siderable number, and such baskets are great 

 acquisitions to any Fernery or conservatory. The 

 baskets may be of wood spars, strongly jointed 

 together with wire, or they may be of wire. The 

 latter are rather more lasting. In any case a 

 lining of sphagnum moss or, better still, of freshly 

 cut turves with the grass side turned inwards, 

 should be given. These baskets should be dipped 

 regularly ; twice a day is sometimes necessary 

 during hot weather. A list of Ferns suitable for 

 baskets is given at the end. 



Ferns on Tree Stumps. Some Ferns take very 

 kindly to stumps of rough, unbarked wood, and 

 form artistic additions to the Fern houses. Of the 

 number may be mentioned the Platyceriums, or 

 Stag's Horn Ferns, which should be grown in pockets 

 filled with compost; Blechnum brasiliense, and 

 several of the Davallias, whose creeping rhizomes 

 want little, if any, soil, but may simply be packed 

 in with a little live sphagnum moss. The various 

 species of Nephrolepis do well in pockets of virgin 

 cork filled with soil. 



Filmy Ferns constitute a distinct section of the 

 family as far as treatment goes. They need plenty 

 of water, but resent it overhead ; hence the atmo- 

 sphere should be kept as nearly as possible at 

 saturation point. Where they are grown in the 

 same house as the other Ferns they should be kept 

 in a case, where they may be planted on portions of 

 tree stumps, in crevices of rockwork, or on blocks of 

 coarse, fibrous peat. The genera Todea, Hymeno- 

 phyllum, and Trichornanes contribute the bulk of 

 the -Filmy Fer-t^. .The beautiful, but rather in- 

 tractable, Asplenium marginatirm does well under 

 similar conditions. 



Fern Walls. A pretty Fern wall may be made 

 by nailing pockets of virgin cork to the wall, and 

 fining these with soil for the reception of the 

 Ferns and Selaginellas. Another method is to 

 fasten sheets of coarse mesh wire so that they 

 stand 4" or 5" away from the wall, this space 



Fern Rue (see Thalictrum jtavum). 



being filled up with soil, and the Ferns planted in 

 it. Almost all Ferns, save the Gymnogrammes 

 and the more tender of the Adiantums, are available. 

 Fern Balls (see DAVALUA). 

 In Porous Bottles. The Madeira Fern bottles 

 are made of very porous material. Before planting 

 them with Ferns they are covered with a layer of 

 clay about J" thick, and this is kept in place by 

 rings of copper wire. Very small sporelings only 

 are planted, and all the attention that is subse- 

 quently necessary is to keep the pitchers filled 

 with water. 



Manures. The idea was at one time very wide- 

 spread that Ferns did not require stimulants of 

 any sort. That this is erroneous, however, has 

 been abundantly proved in practice. Still, Ferns 

 like their stimulants weaker than do most other 

 plants, and should only receive them during the 

 height of the growing season. Withhold all 

 manures of whatsoever nature in winter. Cow 

 liquor and soot, diluted until it is light brown 

 in colour, is the best natural manure. 



Insect Pests. In addition to the troublesome 

 snowy fly (Aleyrodes vaporariornm) ami thrips, 

 Ferns have to contend with several inveterate 

 enemies. Thrips may be got rid of by light fumi- 

 gations, and snowy fly by careful sponging with 

 soapy water. Brown and white scale are more 

 troublesome than either. They have a knack of 

 getting down amongst the crowns of Adinntums, 

 and nothing but careful overhauling during the 

 winter, when most of the fronds have been cut off, 

 will ensure cleanliness for the ensuing summer. 

 Sponge and brush must be plied vigorously in the 

 winter both for scale and mealy bug. Cockroaches 

 are a great nuisance in many Ferneries, eating off 

 the young fronds as fast as they appear. The 

 best method of dealing with them is to lay down 

 phosphor paste, which they eat greedily. If 

 weevils and slugs give trouble they must be caught 

 at night time, for they are both night feeders. 



Propagation. The propagation of Ferns is an 

 interesting occupation. Two generations go to 

 make up the life of the Fern, the plant which is 

 popularly regarded as the Fern being the second 

 generation. The spores, upon germinating, produce 

 a flat, cushion-like plate known as the prothallus, 

 and upon these protlmlli the minute male and 

 female organs, anthericlia and archegonia, are 

 borne. The fusion of these two elements gives 

 rise to the second generation, a much taller and a 

 more handsome plant. From the foregoing it will 

 be seen that the hybridising and cross-breeding of 

 Ferns is a comparatively haphazard proceeding. 

 Crosses have been effected by immersing the pan 

 containing the prothalli in tepid water for a few 

 minutes, the fluid acting as a vehicle for the trans- 

 mission of the microscopic male bodies. 



Ferns for Special Purposes : 



By referring to the various genera, and consult- 

 ing the lists of principal species in each, it will be 

 quite easy to pick out a selection for cool and 

 warm houses, and for the hardy fernery. 



For Window*. Aspidium falcatum, Asplenium 

 bulbiferum, A. b. fabianum, A. b. minus, Adian- 

 tum cuneatum, Nephrodium molle, Pteris cretica, 

 P.c. cristata, P. c. c. nobilis, P. c. Wimsettii, P. 

 serrnlata, P. s. cristata, P. tremula, and P. t. 

 smithiana are all suitable. There are others, but 

 these are fairly easy to grow. 



For Jiasltets. Adiantum Capillns-Veneris and 

 varieties, A. caudatum, A. ciliatum, A. Eilgeworthii, 



