62 FERN GROWING 



Aspidium angulare var. grandiceps. 

 Scolopendrium vulgare var. variegatum. 



Mr. Moule, Ilfracombe, Devon, for — 

 Scolopendrium vulgare var. coronans. 



„ „ var. crispum-fertik. 



Cystopteris fragilis var. cristatum. 



Messrs. F. W. and H. Stansfield, Fern Nursery, Sale, Lancashire, for— 

 Asplenium Filix-fcemina var. laciniato-ramulosum. 



„ ,, var. conges fum laciniato-crtstatum. 



„ ,, var. congestum-excurrens. 



,, „ var. angustato-congestum. 



„ „ var. unco-glomeratum. 



„ ,, var. plumosum divaricatum. 



Aspidium angulare var. pulcherrimum." 



ON THE CROSSING OF FERNS, AND THE INTERESTING 

 RESULTS OBTAINED AFTER MANY YEARS' CAREFUL 

 INVESTIGATION. 



In writing a history of the crossing of Ferns, and in 

 giving an account of the various successes that have been 

 attained, it is necessary in the first place to point out that 

 distrust and disbelief have persistently met these experiments, 

 although step by step these truths have been gradually ac- 

 knowledged after long intervals of time.* The simple 

 statement that the author could cross different varieties of 

 Ferns was disbelieved, and said to be an impossibility, and it 

 was confidently stated that the male sperms from one pro- 

 thallus escaped from their antheridia by simple rupture, or were 

 propelled with so little force, that they could only fall on the 

 surface of the same prothallus, and there swim about in its 

 dampness until the female cell was found ; therefore they could 

 not ejctend their journey to another prothallus, which was re- 

 quisite to effect a cross, however close it might be. 



Nearly forty years ago the author exhibited a large number 



* These cautious proceedings on the part of our leading specialists as regards new 

 evolutional views cannot, however, be complained of. 



