92 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
GROWING FrerNs ror Cur LEAvEs.—It is a truism to 
say that the majority of ferns require shade for success- 
ful growth. Probably less than one per cent of all fern 
species, the number of which is estimated at from five 
to ten thousand, thrive in full sun. What native 
species if any produce their best leaves without a pat- 
ticle of shade? 
The illustration which represents a new adventure in 
the kind of fern for which it is intended, is the florists’ 
method of providing the proper shade on a commercial 
scale. The photograph was taken in Orlando, Florida, 
on the establishment of Mr. F. W. Fletcher. The 
structure is what is known as a lath house and is in 
common use in Florida for the Boston fern and varieties 
as these ferns do not require greenhouse protection, at 
least in the warmer parts of that state. In the north 
lath houses are used for hardy ferns by a number of 
growers. In greenhouses the proper shade is provided 
by a summer coating of white or green paint. 
The present lath house is of particular interest to the 
Fern Society because it is Mr. Fletcher’s intention to 
grow ferns for cut leaves. Polystichum adiantiformé, 
often called P. coriaceum, will be one of the ferns tried. 
This fern has a thick tough leathery leaf, well deservimg_ 
its common technical name, coriaceum. Tis leaf will 
keep its shape and freshness, even without water, much 
longer than the common native species which are pull 
m such quantities, Dryopteris intermedia and D. mar 
ginalis, and Polystichum acrostichoides. It is not quite 
as dainty as D. intermedia, but has an attractive thre 
pinnate leaf with glossy segments, something on the 
style of the sterile part of Botrychium silaifolium, and 
if it can be developed as a commercial success, We ™4 
hope eventually for some diminution of the demand for 
the so-called “fancy” and “dagger” ferns from oe 
northern woods. Other ferns will also be grown {et 
