PROPAGATION 5 



The spore fronds should be collected as soon as they 

 show the first signs of maturity, for in many Ferns all 

 the best spores fall away as soon as the spore cases open. 

 Take Osmunda palustris : the proper spores are of a green 

 colour when ripe, and they fall very quickly. In Pteris 

 argyrea they are quite black, but in a day or two after 

 the cases open there will be nothing left except the 

 brown receptacles. In most of the Davallias the spores 

 are yellow. In the Gymnogrammas the true spores are 

 nearly black, but some take the white farina, or powder, 

 to be spores. The Adiantums vary ; in cuneatum they are 

 dark, while those of scutum are pale yellow. If the 

 fronds are collected at the right time, put into paper, and 

 placed in a dry place, the spores will, in most instances, 

 fall out naturally, and rubbing of the fronds will only 

 secure the woolly part of the receptacles. There are 

 some exceptions. Take Onychium Japonicum : the spore 

 cases may appear abundant, but spores will be scarce, and 

 will have to be extracted by rubbing, while in Onychium 

 auratum they fall out and are very abundant. Yet it is 

 curious to note that while it is rarely that the former 

 fail to germinate, it is difficult to raise the latter. It 

 may here be added that, although it is supposed that 

 spores will keep for an indefinite period, it is safer to 

 rely on those freshly collected. This is especially the 

 case with the Davallias and some of the Adiantums. 

 Yet some instances have occurred where spores have 

 germinated after being kept for a long time. We owe 

 the reintroduction of Asplenium marginatum to Herbarium 

 specimens, which were collected some years before the 

 spores were sown. And other instances might be given 

 where seedlings have been raised from very old spores, 

 but they have generally been kept under exceptional 

 conditions. And where possible to get those that have 

 only been newly collected, it is much safer to use them 

 than to rely on old ones. It may be added that Fern 



