FERNS FICUS. 



335 



produce spores in cultivation, however, and in otiier cases, 

 as in some tree ferns, it is almost impossible to rear the 

 young plants after the spores have germinated. In all 

 such cases, recourse must be had to separation, division or 

 layerage. There are some species, as Asplenium bulbif- 

 erum, Cystopteris bulbifera and others, which bear small 

 bulblets or detachable buds on their fronds. These buds 

 often vegetate while still attached to the frond. They 

 may be removed either before or after showing signs of 

 vegetation, and set in pots in a close propagating frame, 

 or under a bell-glass. Ferns which make broad crowns 

 may be divided, and this is the common mode with many 

 species. Some species produce creeping rootstocks, 

 which emit roots if pegged down into a pot of soil or on a 

 block of peat. Several plants can often be produced from 

 such a layer. All these operations are best performed in 

 late winter, before the new growth begins. The tree ferns 

 are rarely propagated to any extent in cultivation, but 

 young plants are imported from their native countries. 



Fern, Sweet. See Comptonia. 



Perraria, Tigridia. IridacecE. 



Propagated by means of seeds and bulbels. 



Feverfew. See Chrysanthemum. 



Ficus. Urticacece. 



The greenhouse species are propagated by layers and 

 cuttings. The cuttings are handled in a close frame, and' 

 a leaf or two is usually left on them. For Ficus Carica, 

 see Fig. Propagation by seeds is sometimes used in the 

 edible figs, but is not easy with the ornamental sorts. 

 F". elastica, F. Indica, etc., are increased by cuttings (com- 

 monly single-eye), planted in sand or sandy soil or sphag- 

 num, and placed in good bottom heat, in a frame under 

 glass. The large cuttings should be staked, and care 

 must be taken to remove the milky juice before planting. 

 Any winter month is good, before growth begins. Last 

 season's wood should be used. A common method of 

 multiplying F. elastica (Rubber-plant) is by means of Chi- 

 nese or air layers (see page 41). If the house can be kept 

 moist, simply a ball of sphagnum bound on the stem is 

 sufficient, without the use of a split pot or a paper cone (as 

 shown in Figs. 33 and 35). Plants of considerable size, fit 

 for nursery trade, can be obtained quicker by this Chinese 

 layering (if one has good stock plants) than by cuttings. 



