FERNS AND LYCOPODS 391 



on being repeatedly used in decorations during the Winter season, 

 should, while in a dormant state, have all the fronds cut off and be 

 placed 'n the coolest house, where they should be allowed to rest as 

 long as possible. The appearance of the young fronds will serve 

 as an indication as to how the plants should be split up previous to 

 repotting. Put the pieces in 5-inch pots. In potting use a loam 

 which is apt to get hard after watering; this, with a little sand and 

 - leaf soil, will give good results. In starting the plants they will not 

 suffer by having the house almost without shade. A. Farleyense 

 does not produce spores as most kinds of ferns do. The reason is 

 because it is not a species, but merely an unfertile variety of a species 

 said to be the well known A. tenerum; consequently the only method 

 of propagation lies in dividing the old plants. Some growers split 

 the crowns and pot the growing points in thumb pots, placing them 

 in a frame or close shaded house. This method is not always satis- 

 factory, for unless the points have fairly good live roots to start 

 with, or show signs of immediately making fresh ones, their struggle 

 for existence is apt to be a pretty tough one. The first batch may 

 be started about the end of January or first half of February. Old 

 plants from which the fronds were cut earlier in the season, and which 

 show little colonies of small fronds, are the best for the purpose. 

 Wash every particle of soil from the roots, when it will be found 

 there is a considerable quantity of dead but hard, wiry rhizomes 

 just beneath the surface of the soil. This material, if potted up with 

 pieces, hinders their growth and should be removed. Select only 

 the rhizomes which have life in them and which have a frond, how- 

 ever small, or a piece of frond attached. The work of separation 

 should be done with the aid of a sharp pointed pair of scissors. 

 Next put the pieces in a mixture of sand and moss, the latter rubbed 

 through a No. 8 sieve; have the materials in equal parts. Water 

 should be given very sparingly. To start the pieces into growth 

 under the most favorable conditions they ought to be covered with 

 glass until new roots and fronds push out. Thev may then be potted 

 into 2-inch pots. 



ASPIDIUM. (See Polystichum, page 399.) 



ASPLENIUM. A very large genus. Only a very few of the 

 species are extensively grown, but none of them is on the short list 

 of the best decorative Ferns for florists. A. nidus, the Bird's Nest 

 Fern, a native of Australia, is a striking species with very large, 

 simple leaves. It must have perfect drainage, rather rough and 

 fibry soil, and a stove temperature. 



