8o FERN GROWING 



Length 12 inches, width i J inch. In 1893 Mr. O'Kelly found 

 a variety near Ballyvaughan, that differs in having larger and 

 narrower pinnae, and in being crenate and caudate. 



EXPERIMENT NO. III. 



It has been found necessary to refer to this experiment 

 several times, as this was the endeavour to cross two species 

 to obtain a hybrid, and the result is one of botanical interest. 

 Illustrations are inserted with the paper on " Hybrid Ferns " 

 read at Bath. (See page 18, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) 



In 1875 the spores of Aspidium angulare var. Wakely- 

 anum (a narrow strap-shaped cruciate variety) and Aspidium 

 aculeatum var. densunt (a short fronded form with crowded 

 pinnae) were sown together to produce a hybrid. It was 

 thought that if a cruciate Aspidium aculeatum could be obtained, 

 this would be a convincing proof that the cross had been 

 acquired, as previously a cruciate variety of Aspidium aculeatum 

 was unknown. These plants came to maturity in 1882 ; the 

 number of seedlings slightly exceeded 1000, but all except 

 five were close copies of Aspidium. aculeatum. var. densum, or 

 of Aspidium angulare var. Wakelyanum ; these five hybrids 

 had all the characters of Aspidium aculeatum. (in the stronger 

 consistency of the pinnae, and richer and deeper colour), but 

 not only this, they were a copy of the cruciate variety 

 Wakelya?ium. This experiment was repeated in 1885 ; there 

 was a less number of seedlings (about 200), but amongst 

 them was a solitary strap-shaped cruciate Aspidium aculeatum, 

 rather more robust than the five of the former experiment. 



When young, these hybrids did not show any cruciate 

 character, but they gradually became narrower as they in- 

 creased in the length of the frond, until on the seventh year 

 they were perfectly cruciate. The plant of the second experi- 

 ment is now eight years old, is as yet only partially cruciate, 



