24 FERN GROWING 



The following are extracts from a paper read at the 

 Fern Conference * of the Royal Horticultural Society at the 

 " Fern Show" in iSgo.t "Hybrid Ferns and Crossed Varieties," 

 by Mr. E. J. Lowe, F.R.S. : — "A paper embracing all that is of 

 interest in so important a subject as hybrid species and crossed 

 varieties would occupy more time than could be devoted to 

 it this afternoon. An outline is all that can be attempted. 



"It is comparatively a new branch of inquiry, and fresh 

 facts are constantly cropping up. 



"Although the crossing of Ferns has only been recently 

 acknowledged, nevertheless my own investigations, experi- 

 ments, and may it be added successes, commenced many years 

 ago, dating even to the middle of the century. It has there- 

 fore been thought that a brief history of my own work may 

 not be unacceptable. 



"In the first place, let me explain that a hybrid Fern is 

 the offspring of two so-called species — as example, between 

 Asplenium marinum and Asplenium lanceo latum ; whilst the 

 offspring of two varieties of the same species is called a cross. 



" Forty-six years ago a German botanist discovered the 

 reproductive organs of Ferns ; before this we only knew that 

 sori containing numbers of spores were formed on the 

 under-side of the fronds, and that these varied in shape and 

 position in different genera. Spores when they fell to the 

 ground under favourable circumstances were known to ger- 

 minate, at first appearing as mere points, and in course 

 of time expanding and somewhat imitating the appearance of 

 liverwort. Eventually a tiny frondlet would show itself, to 

 be followed by others, larger and larger, and more and more 

 developed, until a mature plant resulted. 



* Owing to Mr. Baker's absence through illness the question of the proper 

 nomenclature for Fern varieties was not discussed. 



t [Reprinted from the "Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society,'' Part III., 

 Vol. XII.] 



