The Best Ferns for the Dwelling Rooms— By P. T. Barnes, 
New 
York 
A SELECT DOZEN OF THE HARDIEST AND MOST RESISTANT KINDS WITH WHICH ANYONE CAN SUCCEED—THE FOUR 
CARDINAL FACTORS OF SUCCESSFUL CULTIVATION, AND HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAVORITES CLEAR FROM INSECT PESTS 
ap ae: ferns vie with the rubber plant for 
first place in the esteem of the 
window gardener. Their finely cut and 
sometimes oddly shaped fronds have a 
graceful airy effect possessed by few other 
The fern ball (Davallia bulluta) needs only water to 
start into growth. Excellent suspended in windows 
plants and, being evergreen, they are always 
in season. Many people believe that it is 
impossible to grow ferns in the house or in 
the window garden but it is not so, for there 
are perhaps a few dozen kinds which will 
do very well indeed if given the same care 
as the flowering plants. 
The most popular fern is the common 
sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata). The 
type is rarely seen in the florists’ shops 
nowadays, having been superseded by the 
more vigorous growing Boston fern (NV. 
exaltata var. Bostoniensis of the trade). And 
this is the best of all the sword ferns. It 
will stand some abuse. With all the other 
ferns if the soil once becomes dry the plant 
is ruined for the season at least, if not 
absolutely killed; but should your sword 
fern be neglected for a day or two, becoming 
dry, it will recover if carefully looked after. 
Even when young, in small pots, the plants 
are attractive, but they make a fairly rapid 
growth and one does not have to wait long 
to obtain a large plant. The fronds of the 
Boston fern are two to three feet long, two 
to three inches across, and of a lively green 
color. 
Another variety of the sword fern which 
has given satisfaction in many window 
gardens is known in the trade as N. Philip- 
pensis. The fronds are smaller, being only 
about eighteen inches long, one and one- 
half to two inches wide and very dark 
green. 
Of recent years there have been several 
new forms of the sword fern introduced to the 
American trade and they have become very 
popular. The variety Scotti is a miniature 
Boston fern, the fronds being shorter and 
narrower, thus making a dense, more com- 
pact plant. 
There are several plumose forms in which 
Holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) with glossy, bold, 
deep green leaves, which are not very ‘fern like.’’ 
This plant is one of the hardiest 
the pinne are much divided. The fronds 
are usually at least a foot long and quite 
broad. They are known under such trade 
names as Piersoni, Borrowsi, Whitmani, etc. 
These do well in the house but, with the 
exception of Whitmani, the fronds are more 
or less liable to revert to the type. This 
is no doubt caused by the trying conditions © 
found in the living-room—dry heat and 
insufficient light. 
There is another sword fern which I 
always like to grow because of the oddly 
shaped pinne — Nephrolepis davalliodes 
var. jurcans. The ends of the pinne are 
divided into two spreading points like horns. 
This plant is equally as showy as the Boston 
fern but the fronds have a much more 
drooping habit. The sword ferns will grow 
in almost any soil but a well-drained sandy 
loam is best. 
The glossy, dark green foliage of the holly 
fern (Cyrtomium falcatum) always attracts 
attention. The upper sides of the pinne 
are very dark green; the under sides are 
somewhat lighter green and studded with 
brown spots — the spores. 
The pinne are large, four to six inches 
long and one to two inches broad, the fronds 
about two feet long and very stiff. Altogether 
it is very attractive. 
The graceful feathery fronds of the 
maidenhair ferns always excite interest. The 
most beautiful one, Adiantum Farleyense, 
often seen in the florists’ shops, cannot 
be grown in the window garden, but there 
is a good substitute for it in the so-called 
“hardy Farleyense” (Adiantum Capillus- 
Veneris var. imbricatum). This will with- 
stand the trying conditions of the house just 
as well as will the Boston fern. I know 
plants which have lived all winter in a New 
The common shield fern (Polystichum angulare) is the 
best of the fine cut ferns for the window garden 
York City residence, a severe test for any 
plant, fern or not. 
If the soil in which maidenhair ferns are 
growing ever becomes dry, the fronds imme- 
diately wither and nothing can be done to 
Scotts’ sword fern, more compact growing than the 
Boston fern, but otherwise very like it 
Boston fern is the freest 
growing of house ferns 
323 
hare’s foot (Polypo- 
dium aureum) 
The 
There are several plumose forms of the sword fern, 
varying in degree. Good for light rooms 
