2 FERN GROWING 



When once we can find a departure from the normal 

 form, no matter in what species, it is comparatively easy to 

 multiply variations. There are very many more English 

 varieties of the different species 'than have been hitherto 

 found abroad, and the reason of this seems to be owing to 

 the extensive crossing of varieties that has been going on in 

 the country for a number of years. Two cases may be 

 quoted. 



The late Mrs. Grant, of Hillersdon, near Cullompton, in 

 Devonshire, grew Ferns extensively into large specimens, 

 and above her Fernery was a gravel >valk on a terrace, which 

 was edged with the usual dwarf box, amongst which were to 

 be found many seedling varieties of the Hart's-tongue Fern 

 that had been naturally crossed and produced distinct forms, 

 all of them originating from plants in her Fernery. Formerly, 

 when raising new varieties by crossing was almost unknown, 

 and scarcely believed in, our best British Fern cultivators 

 only raised Fern spores to obtain duplicates of any desired 

 variety. Amongst those who extensively raised Ferns from 

 spores were the Rev. C. Padley, of Bulwell Hall ; Mr. J. 

 Henderson, of Wentworth ; Mr. A. Clapham, of Scarborough ; 

 Mr. J. M. Barnes, of Milnthorpe; Mr. Stansfield, of Todmorden; 

 Mr. T. Moore, of the Chelsea Botanic Gardens ; Mr. W. 

 Willison, of Whitby ; Mr. R. Sim, of Foots Cray ; Mr. 

 Elworthy, of Nettlecombe ; Mr. Joseph Sidebotham, of Bowdon; 

 Mr. C. Glave, of Scarborough ; Mr. Riley, of Papplewick ; 

 the Rev. F- Mules, of Marwood ; and Mr. J. James, of Vauvert : 

 all have now passed away. Each sowed spores separately 

 (except Mr. Clapham, who, after a few years, began to sow 

 several varieties together, in order to economise space) ; they 

 consequently raised but few variations from the spores sown. 

 These Fern authorities diligently hunted the country for new 

 ' wild varieties. The author had been raising a large number 

 of forms from crossing before Mr. Clapham would entertain 



