I 62 



protecting cover, extend an incipient root, and become- 

 straightway an independent plant of the parental type. 

 The spore, on the other hand, seeing that as an 

 unfertilized cell it is as yet an imperfect organism, in- 

 capable of reproduction, must, when shed, find an environ- 

 ment of particularly favourable character where it can 

 remain undisturbed long enough for it to burst its protec- 

 tive shell, and by multiplication of the single cell it 

 contains, construct a scale-like organism, no larger than a 

 herring-scale, on the under side of which there are gener- 

 ated male and female organs, the homologues of flowers, 

 through which the essential operation of seed formation and 

 fertilization can be effected, and the parental frond-bearing 

 Fern reproduced. Now, when we consider that the spore 

 is microscopic, and the whole of the reproductive opera- 

 tions are effected within the area of a herring-scale, and 

 that it is on the under side of this scale that this is done, 

 it is easy to understand that it is only about three-quarters 

 of a century ago that the true nature of the operation was 

 discovered and its practical identity with that of flowering 

 plants made clear. Leaving, however, these technical 

 points aside, which we have only mentioned to emphasize 

 the necessity of observing the rules hereafter laid down to 

 ensure successful culture by such delicately organized 

 means, we will now give in detail the method which we 

 ourselves have found most effective to that end. At the 

 outset it will be seen that the first essentials are — 

 i. A constantly humid soil. 



2. Freedom from disturbance by worms or other insects.. 



3. Immunity from fungi or other competitive growths, 



engendered by the persistent humidity. 

 To start with, we usually use small shallow red earthen- 

 ware pans, about i^- inches deep and five in diameter. 

 These we drain well by placing broken pieces of pots over 

 the holes in the bottom. We then fill them up with a 



