174 



detail, so that scores of distinct varieties have been 

 acquired. 



Here we have no wild progenital " mutation " to start 

 with, but even here, it may be argued, that in a fern raised 

 as this was from the outset by the myriad for the market, 

 there was always a good chance that the starting " sport" 

 should present itself under culture, without that culture 

 being necessarily the inducing factor. In short, the moral 

 of these notes is, we contend, that we are still as far as 

 ever from knowing the reason why ? of these subtle but 

 invaluable changes. 



Chas. T. Druery, V.M.H., F.L.S. 



BRITISH PERNS: SPRING TREATMENT. 



Since the early spring is undoubtedly the best period 

 of the year for the treatment of hardy Ferns as regards 

 planting, shifting, division, and propagation generally, a 

 few lines in that connection may be apropos. The forty 

 odd species indigenous to Great Britain fall into two 

 categories, viz. the deciduous ones, the fronds of which 

 die down in the autumn, and the evergreen whose fronds 

 persist through the winter, and only perish in the second 

 season when new ones arise to take their place. To the 

 first category belong the Lady Ferns (Athyrium filix 

 fcemina), most of the Buckler Ferns (Lastreas or Nephro- 

 diums), the Bladder Ferns (Cystoptevis), and the Royal Fern 

 (Osmunda vegalis), three species of Poly podium (the Oak, 

 Beech and Limestone), and the Bracken (Pteris aquilina). 

 The evergreens embrace the Shield Ferns {Polystichmn, 

 three species), the Hartstongue (Scolopendrium), all the 

 Asplenia (Spleenworts), the Hard Fern {Blechnum spicant), 

 and the Common Polypody (P. vulgare). The remainder 

 of the native species are so little adapted for general 



