ON FERNS. 



555 



Propagation from Rhizomes. — Ferns which are provided with 

 rhizomes creeping above ground may be easily propagated by 

 the division of these organs, as every piece of creeping rootstock 

 bearing a couple of fronds and a few roots, usually produces a 

 plant when firmly pegged to the ground with the roots well 

 covered. It is useless to cut off for this purpose the rhizomes 

 which, having extended over the sides of the pots, are destitute 

 of roots. If such are required for propagation, they must either 

 be bent back, or else have a pot containing soil placed under 

 them ; they should then be firmly pegged to the soil and left 

 until they have produced roots, when they may safely be 

 separated from the parent plant by first cutting through the 

 rhizome, and then carefully taking them up with all the roots 

 attached. 



The best material in which these newly-divided plants may be 

 placed is one of very porous nature, in which a sufficient quantity 

 of permanent moisture can easily be maintained without the 

 compost becoming sour. The compost which gives the most 

 satisfactory results is a mixture in equal proportions of chopped 

 sphagnum, rough fibrous peat, and coarse silver-sand. Many 

 different species, especially among Davallias, Acrostichums, and 

 Polypodiums, are amenable to this mode of propagation ; but it 

 should be borne in mind that in every case the rhizome which 

 is to be separated from the mother-plant must be provided with 

 a growing point and a few roots, and when possible also a few 

 fronds, although this is not indispensable. 



Ferns propagated in this way are all the better for being 

 placed in a close frame for a time ; even if they do not actually 

 require it, they recover much more quickly when so treated, as 

 they do not feel so acutely the effects of the disturbance at the 

 roots. It may not be out of place here to point out that, 

 although Gleichenias are abundantly provided with external 

 rhizomes, they are the most difficult subjects to propagate by 

 division, and that large plants can rarely be cut up successfully. 

 Their rhizomes are of such a wiry and rambling nature that they 

 are generally destitute of roots on their greatest length, and it 

 is only by securing the younger part of the rhizomes with 

 fibrous roots and growing points that there is any chance of 

 success. The old portions of the rhizomes are of no value for 

 propagating purposes, as they very seldom, if ever, break out 

 again ; it is therefore necessary to look to young, healthy plants 

 exclusively for propagation. 



Propagation from Proliferous Growths. — When we have to 

 deal with Ferns of a viviparous or proliferous nature, either 

 British or exotic, the best mode of propagation is obvious, for 

 even when these plants can be reproduced from spores, the time 

 gained by rooting the adventitious growths, as compared with the 

 time taken by the complete development of seedlings, is sufficient 



