FERN GROWING 31 



normal state, yet divisions taken from them, in time again 

 became true Cambricum and crispum. This was also well 

 seen in the Scolopendriums that were moved from Nottingham- 

 shire to Shirenewton Hall in 1881. They were planted in 

 an unsuitable situation, and although there were nearly five 

 hundred distinct varieties, in three or four years they were 

 all common Hart's-tongues. In 1886 and 1887 they were 

 again transplanted, and have gradually returned to their 

 original varietal forms. 



"In 1876 an attempt was made to cross two species; and 

 as there were no known cruciate forms of Aspidium aculeatum, 

 it was determined to try to produce one, for, if successful, 

 this would be a satisfactory proof The varieties selected 

 were Aspidium angular e van Wakelyanum, and Aspidium 

 aculeatum var. densum, the former being cruciate.* Out of 

 a batch of several thousand seedlings there were five plants 

 unmistakably cruciate aculeaiums, and also a close copy of the 

 cruciate angulare. For six years these five plants were normal 

 aculeatum-s, but on the seventh they assumed the narrow 

 cruciate form. In 1884 Mr. E. F. Fox and the late Colonel 

 Jones repeated the experiment successfully. At the same 

 time they both endeavoured to add the polydactylous character 

 to different varieties of Aspidium angulare, and succeeded ; 

 the most marked of Mr. Fox's seedlings being polydactylous 

 congestum forms ; and those of Colonel Jones various polydacty- 

 lous varieties of divisilobum, and lineare, and a variegated 

 polydactylum of Padley's variegated angulare. The author had 

 previously produced similar polydactylous forms in the Lady 

 Fern. The endeavour to produce various golden Hart's- 

 tongues from using spores of different varieties mixed with 

 those of a golden form, resulted in variegated seedlings which 

 speak for themselves. 



* Alluded to with illustrations in a paper read at the British Association in 

 1888. See page 16. 



