An Interesting Family of House Ferns— By Leonard Barron, »« 



REMARKABLE VARIATIONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY APPEARED IN THE BOSTON FERN AND WHICH 

 GIVE PLANTS THAT ARE ADAPTED TO NEARLY EVERY PURPOSE OF THE WINDOW GARDENER 



THOUGH the Boston fern (Nephrolepis 

 exaltata), up to a few years ago, 

 was the most highly esteemed of house 

 ferns, it has during recent years been 

 practically superseded by some of its 

 many varieties. The history of the ap- 

 pearance of these variations has been 

 one succession of rapid surprises. It was 

 in 1903 that the first marked variation, 

 Piersoni, was introduced. This differed 

 from the original type in having the 

 pinnules divided two or three times so 

 as to give a rich, full, plumose effect. It 

 is to-day hardly to be met with because 

 this character proved unstable. That is, 

 it showed a great tendency to "throw 

 back" or to produce fronds that were 

 of the normal simple type. 



Two years later a still more plumed 

 form was distinguished, which became 

 known as elegantissima. This also proved 

 unstable, but the next year the improved 

 elegantissima was introduced, and this 

 has the character distinctly fixed. Still 

 further variations along this line have 

 appeared in succeeding years, and show 

 increased division of the fronds and finer 

 character of the pinnules, there appearing 

 in rapid succession superbissima (1908) 

 and elegans compacta (1909). 



Simultaneously, there was developed 

 another line of variation in which the 

 frond, while retaining the characteristic 

 pinnules of the type, became shorter and 

 more arching, and the margin of the 

 pinnule more or less undulate. This type 



has given us some of the most decorative 

 forms, the first one to be introduced being 

 Scotti, which has been very largely sup- 

 planted by Giatrasi which, to-day, may be 

 regarded as the most graceful and the 

 best furnished house fern for all ordinary 

 purposes. As compared with its prede- 

 cessors, it is a slower grower and conse- 

 quently is higher priced. Large growers 

 say that it takes twice as long to grow a 

 plant of Giatrasi to a given size as it does 

 to grow a plant of Scotti. 



The plumose character has reached its 

 maximum development in forms known as 

 Amerpohli and magnific, which are very 

 much alike. 



The window gardener must needs exer- 

 cise some judgment in selecting either one 

 of these ferns for the house. The simple 

 leaved forms are best adapted to ordinary 

 conditions in dwelling houses, but where 

 greenhouse accommodation can be had 

 or an exceptionally light window provided, 

 some of the plumose forms can be grown. 

 The latter are not so generally useful, how- 

 ever, because as soon as they attain any 

 large size, the plants show a tendency to a 

 loss of symmetry consequent on the break- 

 ing down of the stalks by the actual 

 weight of the fronds themselves. 



On the other hand, where it is desired 

 to have a fern for cutting to provide some 

 green to mix in with cut flowers, the 

 plumose forms of the Boston fern are 

 especially valuable. In the accompanying 

 illustrations the progressive development 

 of two types of variation is clearly shown. 



All these ferns offer an exception to the 

 generally conceived notion as to what is 

 necessary to the well being of plants of 



this type, and it is this exception that 

 makes them so generally useful as house 

 plants for the million. 



They grow best in full light and at a 

 temperature of about 56 to 60 degrees, 

 and the secret of keeping any of the Boston 

 fern family in good condition is to keep 

 it constantly growing. When grown in 

 dark, shaded places and at too low a tem- 

 perature, nearly all the improved forms 

 show a more or less marked tendency to 

 develop fronds of the normal straight type. 

 Give a good, rich but porous garden soil. 

 Any kind of check, as poor soil, or allowing 

 the plant to dry from irregular watering, 

 will result in the same thing. Little things, 

 these; but it is a case of the little things 

 counting. And the one secret of very 

 successful management is just this: con- 

 stantly growing with plenty of light. 



Besides the names already mentioned, 

 you are likely to come across plants offered 

 under such names as todeaoides and Whit- 

 mani. These two forms, if not identical with, 

 are so nearly like elegantissima as to make 

 their maintenance unnecessary, at all 

 events, to the amateur. And furthermore, 

 they have the same characteristic of re- 

 verting to the normal type. 



There is no such thing as the "best" of 

 these forms. They must be selected 

 according to the place they are to fill. 

 For a large, bold effect the old-time Boston 

 is still unsurpassed, but for smaller apart- 

 ments, Giatrasi will be superior; with ele- 

 gantissima for a plumose form. 



The simple fronds of the old Boston fern (Neph- 

 rolepis exaltata). The pinnules regular and entire. 

 Quite stiff looking 



In the extreme plumose variation, as seen in Amer- 

 pohli. the entire frond is shortened and broadened 

 and a moss-like effect is produced 

 261 



In the "muscosa" form the frond is short stalked 

 hut the pinnules are finely divided. Color deep 

 green 



