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mixture of loamy soil and leaf mould and coarse silver 

 sand, forming an opsn porous compost, which we top with 

 a sprinkling of loam. This we press down flat, so that a 

 level soil is left with about half an inch free space between 

 the surface and the eventual glass cover. To secure the 

 contents from subsequent disturbance by worms or invasion 

 by intrusive fungi, etc., we now place a piece of paper on the 

 soil, and upon this we pour boiling water until this runs 

 out scalding hot at the bottom of the pan, the contents of 

 which is thus entirely cleared of worms, germs, etc., 

 leaving a clear field for the Fern spores when these are 

 introduced. We next cover the pan with a piece of glass 

 and allow it to cool. When quite cold we take the pan 

 into the dwelling-house, i.e. away from an atmosphere 

 probably charged with undesired spores, and removing 

 the glass and paper scatter the spores extremely thinly 

 and evenly over the soil, replace the glass, and the opera- 

 tion is complete. N.B. — The spores must lie quite on the 

 surface and not buried. The pan should then be placed in a 

 saucer, in which a little water should be maintained, the 

 bottom edge of the pan just touching the water. The soil 

 is thus placed at a slight angle to the light, while the risk 

 of worms intruding from below is obviated. Nothing 

 now is needed but to place the arrangement where it can 

 remain and be easily seen, and receive plenty of light, but 

 no direct sunshine. If the sowing be effected in the late 

 spring, or in a warm house, say, in a Wardian case, or under 

 a bell-glass in a living room, in about three weeks the first 

 evidence of success will be visible as a faint green flush 

 on the surface of the soil, showing that the spores have 

 germinated and begun to form the prothalli or herring- 

 scale-like growth above described, and as time goes on 

 each of these tiny growths will expand, and if the pre- 

 caution of very thin sowing has not been observed, will 

 begin to overlap each other. If by so doing they become 



