57 



prothalli appeared, and the plants are now nearly full grown. 

 Amongst them are two P. ang. gvandiceps, a pretty actitilobe y 

 some incised Lastvca ps. mas, a few rogue Polystichums, 

 and some I am unable to identify. I propose to compare 

 some of the fronds with the dried specimens if they seem 

 sufficiently distinct next year. 



It is impossible to assert that the plants I have raised 

 are from spores of Benbow's plants. At the same time 

 fern spores are known to retain their vitality for a very 

 long period, and an inquest next year may help to 

 elucidate matters. Amongst the many thousands of ferns 

 raised from spores annually new breaks and improved 

 forms are bound to occur, and one is tempted to conjecture 

 upon which lines developments are likely to arise. An article 

 by some expert on the ferns of the future (anticipated in 

 December " Gazette " — Ed.) would, I fancy, be interesting 

 reading. There are now many beautiful forms existing as 

 single specimens, of which many of us would be glad to 

 hear and our Society to record. I would like to hear the 

 experience of those who have tried or been successful in 

 raising plants from variegated forms of P. angular e. For 

 three years I have made sowings from a very beautiful 

 and strikingly white variegated plant, given me by Mr. 

 Harris, of the Clifton Botanical Gardens, but have not 

 succeeded in raising anything. From Moly's P. ang. 

 pulch. vaviegatum I have raised typical plants, including 

 depauperation, but without any trace of the beautiful 

 orange-coloured variegation of the parent. I am wonder- 

 ing whether this character may declare itself suddenly, 

 like the breaking of a tulip. Padley's inequal variegation 

 also yielded negative results. [This has been crossed 

 with a cristate form with success. — Ed.] The parentage 

 of the Jones and Fox plumose divisilobes seems to be almost 

 as far from elucidation as ever, but some while since I 

 saw a series of plants of this section raised by a nursery- 



