80 THE BOOK OF FERN CULTURE 



and may be grown as a pot plant, in baskets, or in cork 

 pockets. When grown in pots a stump of wood should 

 be put into the pot and brought up a little above the 

 surface so that the barren basal fronds may cling round 

 it. In an open basket the roots will spread and young 

 plants will soon appear from the bulbils which are 

 formed on the roots. P. major and Hillii are two of the 

 best varieties, but recently there has been others added, 

 which may prove of value. It may be as well to note that 

 this is the only species which makes satisfactory growth 

 under cool treatment, but in addition to being found grow- 

 ing in the temperate regions of Australia, it is also found 

 in Madagascar and other warm regions, and will succeed 

 equally well in the stove as in the greenhouse. 



P. Willincki is a distinct species. The barren fronds 

 stand erect and are lobed, the rather long fertile 

 fronds hang down, are cut into irregular lobes, and are 

 of a peculiar grey shade. This also produces plants 

 from the root bulbils, but not so freely as in Alcicorne. 

 P. grande is well named, for it is one of the most noble 

 Ferns we have. The broad, shell-like, barren fronds 

 will spread fully three feet, and in well-developed plants 

 the fertile fronds, which are pendulous, may reach over 

 three feet in length. This is the only species which fails 

 to produce bulbils on the roots, and can only be propa- 

 gated from spores. The spores should be sown on a 

 mixture of finely-chopped sphagnum, peat, and sand, 

 which should be pressed down to make a smooth 

 surface. The lower portion of the seed pots may be 

 filled up with loam, only a thin surfacing of sphagnum, 

 etc., being necessary. Seedlings are very slow, and after 

 they are well established it may be some years before 

 fertile fronds are produced. P. JEthiopicum, also known 

 as P. stemmaria, which comes from Central Africa, is 

 another noble species. The large barren fronds grow 

 erect, while the fertile ones, which are broad and usually 



