554 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



dinner-table or of dwelling-rooms, for which purposes more Ferns 

 are grown in this country than any other plants, and all of them 

 are raised from spores, 



Fropagation by Division of the Crowns. — All Ferns which 

 naturally form clusters of crowns may be propagated by the 

 division of these adventitious crowns ; these are produced some- 

 times from buds situated at the base of the stalk, and at others 

 by a process of fission in the crowns themselves. When 

 Ferns are to be propagated by the division of the crowns, it 

 is necessary to allow sufficient time for their full development 

 into two or more distinct centres of growth, when it will be 

 found that each of these is provided with its own set of roots, 

 and is really a perfect plant. The crowns should be just 

 separated with a knife, and then carefully pulled apart, retain- 

 ing to each one all the roots possible. The plan of cutting 

 through the crowns and ball of roots is not to be recommended, 

 as it severs many roots from the crowns to which they belong, 

 and this materially reduces the chances of the plants surviving 

 the operation. It is far better to take a little more pains, and 

 in separating the crowns to carefully retain the roots as intact as 

 possible. To that effect it is advisable to either gently shake, 

 or even wash away the soil, so that when the crowns have 

 been separated, the roots may be easily disentangled, and the 

 plants potted at once. They should then be kept close and 

 shaded for a few days to prevent undue evaporation and loss 

 of vigour, and kept there until the plants are strong, enough 

 to stand outside the case. 



If this mode of propagation is applied to British Ferns after 

 the operation has been performed, they should be kept in a 

 cold frame, as artificial heat is not in any way beneficial to 

 them, and little or no water should be given to them until 

 the first fronds make their appearance. It is particularly 

 applicable, amongst our native kinds, to the numerous and 

 beautiful forms of Athyriuin Filix-fa??iina, Lastrea Filix-mas^ 

 and Scolopendriums. It is undoubtedly the safest mode of 

 increasing most of the crested, tasselled, congested, or 

 depauperated forms of these species, the faithful reproduction 

 from spores of the endless varieties being at least doubtful. It is 

 also deemed advisable sometimes to resort to that operation as 

 a means of regulating the growth of the plants, which are of 

 less graceful appearance when, through the multiplicity of crowns, 

 a crowd of foliage, developing in all directions, is produced. 

 The most favourable time for the operation is through February 

 and March, as the plants, being then either entirely at rest, or 

 just beginning to grow, they do not suffer as they would 

 when in full growth, and the new subjects have plenty of 

 time to thoroughly establish themselves during the ensuing 

 season. 



