255 



From the Esplan plamosum first mentioned 1 took 

 14 bulbilsin 1911, 24in 1912, 13inl913,3in 1914, Tin 1915. 



This year the plant ceased bearing and it has been in a 

 feeble condition ever since. 



To avoid wearying readers I do not give similar particu- 

 lars with reference to Fox's plumositm. It bore well for 

 a number of years and then died. 



My first grandchild of the Esplan plumosum came in 

 1915 from a bulbil which I had taken in 1912. and which 

 was therefore three years old. Other bulbils have been 

 much slower in coming into bearing ; three years is the 

 shortest time in my experience. 



The time for formation of bulbils is commonly the winter 

 months, from December to February. I do not think any- 

 thing is gained by pegging a frond at a very early stage of 

 the formation ; the right time is when there is some prospect 

 of the bulbils beginning to make rootlets. Similarly with 

 reference to what I have called taking the bulbils, that is 

 severing it from the parent stock, it is a mistake to hasten 

 this process. If the bulbil is pegged in December or January 

 it will begin to develop its little fronds about April or May. 

 but the rootlets in my experience are very feeble at first. 

 A bulbil taken with rootlets only just beginning may be 

 coaxed into a flourishing state by care, but the process is 

 slow. If on the other hand the bulbil is nottakenuntil the 

 rootlets are well formed, the subsequent process is made 

 easier and more rapid. 



A great many of my bulbils pegged the previous winter 

 are taken in July ; and sometimes, when the formation of 

 the parent fern encourages it, i.e., when the developing 

 fernlet is nob likely to suffer any damage, I rather like leaving 

 the bulbil untaken for nearly 12 months. 



In concluding these notes on the growth of ferns from 



