FERNS 343 



All Ferns that produce several crowns can be propagated in 

 this way, and, as a rule, division should be practised with a 

 large knife, as any attempt to disentangle a crowded mass of 

 roots is likely to result in greater injury than a clean cut. After 

 potting keep the divided plants in a closer atmosphere, if 

 possible, and additionally shade until the young roots are 

 active in the new soil. 



Soil. With regard to the soil most suitable for Ferns it 

 was at one time considered absolutely necessary that the 

 larger portion of it must be peat, but these ideas have been 

 considerably modified of late years, and some cultivators grow 

 many Ferns in almost pure loam. Still, with few exceptions, 

 the most suitable compost is two-parts loam to one-part 

 each of leaf-mould and peat, and about half a part of sand. 

 When there is no peat its place may be taken by an addi- 

 tional part of leaf-mould, and vice versa. Ferns as a rule 

 delight in plenty of water when growing freely, but it is 

 important to drain the soil well, as stagnant moisture is quickly 

 fatal not only to Ferns but to all classes of plants. Among 

 the numerous plants used for the embellishment of the dwell- 

 ing-house this excess of moisture is more fatal than anything 

 else. Thus when the plants are placed in vases of different 

 kinds which have no provision to allow of the escape of 

 surplus water, they should be removed to be watered, and 

 allowed to drain for a few minutes before returning them 

 to their place. 



The highly ornamental and at the same time varied features 

 of the different Ferns render them extremely useful in many 

 ways. In the first place a certain number are absolutely indis- 

 pensable for the embellishment of the greenhouse or conser- 

 vatory. Apart from their own intrinsic beauty they serve 

 admirably as a foil to the different flowering plants, whose 

 brightness is accentuated by association with the refreshing 

 green of the different Ferns. 



Besides this a house devoted entirely to Ferns forms a 

 feature of interest throughout the year ; the different types of 

 fronds, their ever-varying changes of colour during the 

 growing season, with the exquisite beauty of some of the 

 more finely divided kinds, all combine to form a source of 

 great attraction. 



Added to this, some of them from their pendulous nature 

 are unsurpassed for growing in suspended baskets, while 

 many of them may be readily cultivated in the dwelling- 

 house. 



Out of the vast number of varieties in cultivation a rigid 



