12 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
The cuts illustrating this article show fronds about 
Mth their normal size. The figures indicate normal 
forms. Letters indicate marked variations. 
Mantutvs, N. Y. 
Experiences with a Fern Garden--III 
C. L. GRUBER 
The boulder fern has not yet entered upon an era of 
prosperity in my fern garden. Although the rootstock 
rambles away a short distance each summer and each 
spring, about April 30, sends up a few fronds, these 
fronds do not reach the height which is attained in their 
native habitats and seem to grow more as a special 
favor to me than from an inclination to establish them- 
selves permanently. Probably the character of the 
soil is not adapted to more thrifty growth, but I have 
not yet taken sufficient time to experiment in this re- 
spect. 
In August, 1912, I planted one maidenhair fern oD 
the fern bed and a row of five along the wall on the 
northeast side of the cellar containing the heating- 
furnace. The plant on the fern bed grew poorly an 
died in 1914; but the row along the warm cellar wall 
grew luxuriantly and developed into the finest bank of 
maidenhairs I have ever seen. For a foot or more from 
the wall the ground does not freeze up as it does further 
away; and as a result the ferns begin to grow somewhat 
earlier in spring than they do in a wild state. Most 0 
the first fronds, and a large percentage of all the fronds 
are fertile. The plant on the fern bed began growing 
on April 16, but those along the house appeared from 
April 5 to April 10; and the dark brown sporang!@ 
ripened during the first week in July, later fronds 
maturing their fruit till the close of August or the 
beginning of September. In 1915 most of the fronds 
were over a foot in height by April 25. _ a 
