510 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



Chislehurst, Kent, an authority who has exercised great care in the 

 examination of this Fern, recognises three distinct species which he names 

 Lastrea FUix-mas, L. pseudo-mas, and L. 'proioinqua. Mr. E. J. Lowe, who 

 has also devoted a great deal of his time to researches on the subject, follows, 

 in his excellent work, " Our Native Ferns " (vol. i., p. 233), Mr. WoUaston's 

 theory and adopts his views. Such well-known authorities as Hooker, 

 Babington, and Moore, however, have deemed it more prudent to consider 

 the above-named plants as simply varieties connected by numerous forms, all 

 of which, in commerce as well as in botanic gardens, are to this day 

 known as varieties of Filix-mas. On account of its hardihood and of its 

 easy culture, the Male Fern may be considered one of the very best 

 either for town or for country treatment, as it bears smoke better than any 

 other British Fern. In its natural state it is, according to Lowe, " found 

 lining the sides of ditches, the margins of rivers and lakes, the edges of cliffs 

 and crevices of rocks, be they moist or dry, no matter what their geological 

 construction, becoming a principal undergrowth in many woods, and even 

 growing where the salt waves of the sea can occasionally wash over them " 

 ("Our Native Ferns," vol. i., p. 42). 



Filix-mas is a Fern of noble habit, and when planted in naturally 

 sheltered jDlaces, it becomes almost an evergreen species, most useful for 

 ornamenting the rockery and shrubbery. Like many other Ferns, it looks 

 much handsomer when planted out, especially if disposed upon an irregular 

 surface, in clumps of six or eight strong plants each, with a few pieces 

 of stone or rock, which greatly add to their appearance, laid in between and 

 among them. A most striking illustration of the above arrangement is in 

 existence at Ashurst Park, the seat of Mr. Gr. Field, near Tunbridge Wells, 

 where British Ferns (species and varieties) are grown to perfection in a most 

 natural way. The Male Fern is not, however, in any way fastidious, and 

 will grow luxuriantly either in pots or planted out, in almost any soil, 

 provided that during its growing season it receive a good supply of water 

 at the roots ; but it prefers a light and sandy loarn to a stiff clay, and 

 although it will bear exposure to the sun, yet it flourishes much better in 

 a shady situation. It is readily propagated from spores, which are usually 

 ripe about Midsummer, and also from division of the crowns, which is a much 

 slower process. 



