4o6 



MV GARDEN. 



without the burning rays of the sun, and fresh air but without draught. 

 Under these conditions they will attain to their highest perfection. 



Ferns are propagated by division of the roots, from bulbs on the 



leaves, and from spores. The method of raising ferns from spores is 



very peculiar, and must be rightly practised to be successful. The 



fronds of a fern — say of a lady-fern — are taken when the spores fall 



spontaneously and freely, and those fronds should be selected which 



have grown freely in the light and air in a warm place. The spores 



are scattered over moist peat, interspersed with little 



pieces of broken brick and sandstone, and the pan 



is then covered with glass and kept in a shady 



place till the spores commence to grow. When 



a spore germinates, a filmy membrane appears, 



called a prothallus (fig. 927), and resembling Mar- 



chantia (fig. 824) in appearance. This sends down 



Fig. 927.-Prothaiius. roots into the ground ; but besides forms two bodies, 



one the nidus of the future plant, and another containing active 



bodies, which come in contact with the nidus and fertilize it. The 



bud, after having been fertilized, throws up little leaves, and becomes 



a miniature plant, and the prothallus disappears. It has been 



recommended, in order to destroy all living organic matter, that 



the peat should be immersed in boiling water before sowing the 



spores. No seedling has appeared out of doors in my garden. 



Fig. 928. — Lycopodium Selago. 



LYCOPODS, OR CLUB MOSSES. 



I have often planted the Club Mosses, 

 which are such interesting plants in moun- 

 tainous districts. I have had the Lycopodium 

 clavatum in quantity, but it never grew. On 

 the Welsh mountains this plant grows to a 

 length of many yards, and is a remarkable 

 sight. The L. Selago (fig. 928) and another 



species are now growmg in my mossery. 



