58 



THE BOOK OF CHOICE FERNS. 



charming festoons. The plants are generally free growers, especially the 

 species native of tropical America, Australia, and the Polynesian Islands, 

 whose constitution is more robust than that of the others ; on this account 

 they are especially valuable either for covering pillars, for arching over a 

 doorway, or even for training along the glass, where they produce a very 

 pleasing effect. The smaller-growing kinds, with more delicately- divided 

 fronds, which are natives of Japan and North America, are particularly well 

 adapted for growing as window plants, the more so that they can, without 

 any inconvenience, withstand a much lower temperature than the others : 

 these, as well as the tropical kinds, may be used very effectively as rafter 

 plants, and may even be grown on trellises in pots ; but in this latter way 

 their beauty is partially, if not totally, destroyed. 



The most popularly-grown Lygodium is undoubtedly L. japo?iicum : 

 which, however, is exclusively known in commerce as L. scandens : the true 

 L. scandens is a totally different plant as regards habitat and general 

 appearance. L. japonicum produces some extremely slender growths of a pale 

 green colour, which attain from 8ft. to 10ft. in length. The fertile portion 

 of the fronds, which gives the plant a beautiful and attractive appearance, 

 forms about the upper half of the frond itself, and shows the fruiting 

 spikelets disposed at the apex of each lobe. This lovely species may also 

 be grown with advantage in hanging baskets, under which conditions it makes 

 a really handsome specimen in a remarkably short space of time ; especially 

 is this the case if care is taken to train some of the largest fronds along the 

 chains and in the centre of the basket, leaving at the same time those of 

 medium growth to hang all around the sides, which will soon be completely 

 covered, and in a most effective manner. 



The charming North American L. palmatum is a Fern in which a great 

 deal of interest has been concentrated, as it is probably the only instance 

 recorded in which a plant has received by statute law special legal protection 

 solely on account of its decorative qualities. Besides being very effective 

 as a climbing plant, Mr. D. 0. Eaton, in his excellent work, "Ferns of the 

 United States of America," tells us that the carefully-pressed fronds are much 

 used as an article of sitting-room decoration in the cities of Connecticut 

 and other States. For that purpose, the plant is gathered in August and 

 September, and exposed for sale in great quantities, both in fresh condition 



