CHOICE FERNS FOR THE STOVE 49 



must be as warm as the temperature of the house where 

 the Ferns are growing. 



Onychium auratum. — This is a most beautiful Fern, 

 with very finely cut fronds. A very short exposure to 

 the cold will cause the fronds to discolour (or turn 

 black). It is curious that the yellow spore masses 

 which are produced in such great abundance, nearly 

 always prove abortive. I have raised some seedlings, 

 yet the only really good batch I ever had was from a 

 small portion of a fertile frond received from India. 

 As this Fern rarely has but a single crown, it is only 

 from spores that it can be propagated. And it may 

 be added that Onychium Japonicum, which is nearly 

 hardy, though producing spores very sparsely, they 

 germinate freely, and this Fern may also be propa- 

 gated by divisions of the spreading rhizomes. 



Asplenium marginatum — This is a beautiful and distinct 

 species, but very tender. It has large pinnate fronds of 

 a beautiful soft pale green. It can only be propagated 

 from spores : these germinate freely. It was from 

 spores from an old botanical collection of dried specimens 

 that it was re-established in this country after being lost 

 for some years. This Fern will withstand a little cold 

 better than it will a dry, arid atmosphere. It also 

 requires careful attention to watering. 



Acrostichum aureum. — This is another distinct stove 

 Fern, with long pinnate fronds of a thick fleshy nature ; 

 it may be regarded as a semi-aquatic, for it does best 

 when standing over a tank where the tips of the roots 

 can touch the water. 



Acrostichum osmundaceum is a very distinct Fern. 

 Before the fertile fronds appear it has the appearance 

 of being allied to Polystichum coriaceum, but the fertile 

 portions of the fronds are congested and covered with 

 spore cases. The fronds are produced from thick scaly 

 rhizomes. 



