The Art of Multiplying Ferns. 69 



First secure some large shallow pans, and bell-glasses 

 to fit them. Of course common flower-pots will answer 

 the purpose, but large shallow pans are better. Nearly 

 fill the pans (or pots) with broken flower-pots, the top 

 stratum of which should be broken to the size of peas. 

 Sweep all the dust made in breaking the pots into the 

 pans with the smallest of the crocks, and then put in 

 an inch depth of a mixture of equal parts fine peat 

 and silver sand. Water with a fine rose, and if the 

 watering washes the fine stuff down, and causes the 

 points of the small broken pots to peep through, all the 

 better — that is as it should be. Now take a ripe frond 

 of a fern on which there is plenty of fruit, and while 

 holding over the prepared pan, sweep the hand over it, 

 or tap it smartly, and you will see the fine dust — the 

 veritable fern seeds — fall freely. Eegulate your move- 

 ments so as to scatter the dust all over the surface, and 

 then put on the bell-glass. 



The proper place for pans so prepared is wherever 

 they can be kept warm and dark, and yet be within 

 sight, so that they are not neglected. They must be 

 kept always moderately moist, but never wet, and as 

 watering with a water-pot would simply wash the seed 

 away, follow the neater practice of placing the pans in 

 vessels of water. If they are immersed in one inch 

 depth for an hour, the whole mass will become moist 

 throughout by capillary attraction, and not a grain of 

 sand or seed need be moved from its place. 



Have patience, and you will see first a film of green 

 confervse, which is a good sign, next little leafy growths, 

 resembling the liver worts or marchantias. By-and-bye 



