78 THE BOOK OF FERN CULTURE 



rather neglected since the plumose varieties of exaltata 

 have been introduced. It requires growing on freely 

 from the young plants produced on the stolons; with 

 age the crowns get weak and the fronds do not develop 

 their full beauty. N. Fosteri is an American variety 

 which has long drooping fronds with narrow pinnae, and 

 when properly developed they are bipinnatifid, but it is 

 not always that it comes true ; it is one of the most 

 desirable for baskets. 



Culture. — All the Nephrolepis may be potted in good 

 rich loamy soil, and may be kept in active growth 

 throughout the year. Most of them may be readily 

 increased from the young plants produced on the slender 

 spreading stolons. Cordata is one which comes freely 

 from spores and shows but little variation, but with 

 seedlings of most sorts they are a long time in coming 

 into their true character, and also show much variation. 



Although the Nephrolepis thrive best in a stove tempera- 

 ture, they will last well in quite a cool house after they 

 are well established, and will even do well out of doors 

 during the summer. All the plumose and crested varieties, 

 also others with drooping fronds, do best when suspended 

 from the roof or elevated on pedestals. When grown 

 fully exposed, with just sufficient shade to prevent the 

 fronds from burning during the hottest part of the 

 summer, they make fronds of good substance and of a 

 pleasing shade of light green. When under shade and 

 heat they will grow freely, but the fronds will be soft 

 and of a dark sombre green. There are few Ferns vary 

 so much under different modes of culture as do the 

 Nephrolepis. All the free growing sorts may be liberally 

 supplied with manure after they are well established ; 

 it may be used frequently, but should be of only 

 moderate strength. 



