148 



tion, like that illustrated, can be prepared if provision is made 

 a few weeks in advance of need. 



While in general, as in the case illustrated, the offspring are 

 practically identical with their parent, it has occurred a number 

 of times, in the florists' cultivation of millions of Boston fern 

 plants, that an occasional bud plant has arisen which, while still 



Figure 2. A leaf of the Boston fern (left) with leaves of the seven primary 

 sports. In each case, the original mutation took place in vegetative reproduc- 

 tion (See Fig. 1). The seven varieties are arranged as follows: Piersoni; Anna 

 Foster; Scotti; Giatrasi; Harrisi; Rossevelti; Gretnai. 



in physical connection with its parent plant, has shown distinct 

 diff^erences from that parent. In figure 2, there is shown the 

 leaves of a typical Boston fern together with seven such depar- 

 tures or variations. Beginning with the first new plant, each of 

 these variations thereafter reproduced only its own type, main- 

 taining the difference from the parent Boston fern, and thus 

 representing that kind of variation that is inherited, or mutation. 



