Awmvrican Bern Journal 
Vol. 7 JULY-SEPTEMBER, 1917 No. 3 
Experiences with a Fern Garden—I. 
C. L. GRUBER 
In 1911 I started a fern garden. The space used for 
this purpose is only a small bed, twenty-five feet long 
and about four and one-half feet wide. I built a small 
rock pile at one end and a larger one, shaped partly like 
a horse-shoe, in the middle. The bed consisted of good 
but rather heavy garden soil and after trying to grow 
ferns I found that most species did not thrive well in 
it; so in August, 1913, I dug the ground out to the depth 
of four inches, as close to the planted ferns as possible 
without jeopardizing their growth, and filled in the ex- 
cavations with leaf mold and woods ground mixed with 
Some fine sand, decaying wood, and a small quantity of 
crushed limestone. A marked increase in growth and 
vigor was the result. The small garden slugs proved 
themselves a source of annoyance by devouring the 
young crosiers, particularly those of the more tender 
Species, as soon as they appeared above the ground. 
The grape ferns, rattlesnake ferns, walking leaf, and 
adder’s tongue suffered especially in this way. I finally 
overcame this difficulty by covering the surface of the 
bed with fine sand, over which the slugs were unable to 
drag their slimy bodies. The bed is partially shaded 
by a cherry tree and a pear tree and the soil is only 
moderately moist. At the sunnier end of the bed I 
Planted a few sweetbriers to furnish additional shade. 
A covering of leaves in the fall with a fresh coating of 
sand in the spring keeps the bed in good condition. 
(No. 2 of the JOURNAL (7: 33-66, Plates 2 and 3) was issued May 5, 
1917,] 
ee 
