632 



THE GARDEN AND FIELD. 



July, 1913 



(Continued from page 629). 

 FERNS. 



The propagation of ferns is a pleas- 

 ing and very interesting operation. 

 The spores, or sporules, the repro- 

 ductive bodies of ferns, are quite dif- 

 ferent to other ordinary seeds; they 

 arc composed of cells, and the em- 

 bryo is absent; usually they are form- 

 ed on the underside of the frond!^. 

 Some, however, like the osmunda, are 

 borne on spikes. 



To gather the spores in readiness 

 for sowing, select the ripe fronds on 

 which the spores have formed and 

 p'ace them in a box, with a sheet of 

 paper at the bottom, to catch the 

 spores as they fall, or become detach- 

 ed from the fronds, after which they 

 are ready for sowing. 



To sow by a good and simple 

 method, procure a six-inch pot, half 

 fill It with crocks, so as to ensure 

 good drainage, spread over this a 

 little moss, and fill up to within half 

 an inch of the rim with fibrous p^at, 

 finely sifted, and some cleani silver- 

 5''nd. The surface afterwards should 

 be pressed firm and moistened, and 

 tne spores evenly distributed over it 

 aiid slightly covered with some very 

 I ne S"".'., after which the pot shoiiid 

 be placed in a saucer containing 

 water and covered with glass to stay 

 evaporation. An occasional spray of 

 water should be given on the surface, 

 empty, but shading from the sun is 

 never allowing the saucer to become 

 essential to success. In about nine 

 weeks the spores will start into life, 

 and form little pretty green dots, 

 which grow into lieautiful fronds. At 

 this stage ventilation is needed, after- 

 wards pricking them out into boxes 

 or pans as sooi\ as they are large 

 enough to handle. 



Another simple method for the 

 propagation of spores, while they are 

 still fast on tlie fronds, is to procure 

 a rectangular tray; in the centre place 

 two soft bricks close together, or 

 some other very porous material. On 

 the .surface of this, press firmly half 

 an inch of fine soil, lay the frond on 

 this, spores downwards, and just 

 merely cover ovci* with some fine 

 sandy soil pressed fir)u. See that the 

 tray always cntains sufficient water 

 to thoroughly saturate the bricks, and 

 keep in a shaded place in the green- 

 house or frame, with a little attention 

 tf> damping overhead every few dayr; 

 the resultant rewrird will be succe-s 

 t'( the enthusiast. 



SNAPDRAGONS. 



To obtain the be.st residts from 

 these plants very rich soil is not 

 advisable, the tendency in such be- 

 ing to make gross grow'th at the 

 expense of flowers. Soil that was 

 well manured for a crop last year 

 is best, and if a quantity, of old 

 mortar can be iiicorporated with it 

 so much the better. The Snap- 

 dragon, however, is not at all fas- 

 ridious as to soil. One foot apart 

 is a good distance to plant, tak- 

 ing care to retain the ball of soil 

 and roots as intact as possible. 

 The Tom Thumb varieties, owing 

 to their compact habit, atie useful 

 but not so graceful as the taller 

 varieties, and are not so extensive- 

 ly grown now as the)' were some 

 years ago, the more^ graceful taller 

 varieties being most favoured. 



Beds of one colour in each are 

 very effective, hence it may be well 

 to name a few of the best varieties. 

 Crimson King is one of the best. 

 As its name implies, the flowers 

 are of a brilliant velvety crimson, 

 the leaves being deep green on the 

 upper surfaces and dull crimson 

 beneath. White Queen, a' pure 

 white variety, and Yellow Queen, 

 a clear yellow, are two other 

 splendid varieties. The habit of 

 the three named above is very 

 similar. Cottage Maid is a good 

 variety. The colour of the flowers 

 is a mixture ol pale rose and white. 

 Golden Chamois and Carmine Pink 

 are also excellent varieties in the 

 tall section, the colours being ex- 

 plained by their names. 



Antirrhinums are not annuals 

 and of course take longer to ma- 

 ture and produce flowers than do 

 annuals. Very beautiful colours 

 have been evolved during recent 

 years. Self tones makes a more 

 effective display than do i)arti- 

 coloured flowers, though thib is 

 largely a matter of individual pre- 

 ference. 



There is a use for Antirrhinums 

 that shows them off to their full 

 value and beauty, and that is to 

 use them in a well-planned bold 

 rockery. They delight in a warm, 

 well-drained ])osition such as this 

 should afford, and often flower best 

 when in a soil that is 'not over 

 rich. The}- will often .seed them- 

 selves and spring up between the 

 closely laid rocky slabs, or ledges, 

 anywhere it would seem where they 

 can figure picturesquely, for they 

 have a charm, a beauty, an inde- 

 ])en<lence that hand planted speci- 

 mens never achieve, try las we may, 

 we cannot imitate this subtle and 

 almost indefinable beauty of plac- 

 ing. 



Propagating Fibrous-Rooted 

 Begonias. 



This class of Begonias is perhaps 

 not so well known as the tuberous 

 rooted tj-pe, but is almost equally 

 beautiful. Individually the flowers 

 look quite small by the side of the 

 best tuberous varieties, but this is 

 more than recompensed by there 

 being twelve to twenty timesi the 

 numlaer of flowers' on a plant. 



They can be propagated by cut- 

 tings of new growth. The making 

 of the cuttings requires a little 

 explanation. The base of the cut- 

 ting must be a node (the point 

 from which the leaves grow; on the 

 stem) or it may have a slight 

 heel by cutting off a very small 

 portion of the older stem from 

 which it is growing. Sand is| a 

 suitable medium' for rooting the 

 cuttings, or light sandy soil may 

 be used. Pots that will hold four 

 or five cuttings, or shallow wooden 

 boxes may be used. The cuttings 

 root readily in a warm frame or 

 hand-light. 



In about a month from the time 

 of inserting the cuttings they will 

 be ready for potting off singly in 

 small pots, or if large potfuls are 

 desired three cuttings may be 

 placed in a 4,-inch pot. Use soil 

 composed of equal parts loam and 

 leaf mould, adding plenty of sand. 

 Peat is not essential for fibrous- 

 rooted Begonias, but if available it 

 will be beneficial to use a little 

 with the potting soil. Return the 

 newlv-jjotted plants to the frame 

 or hand-light for a week, letting 

 a little air in, which may be in- 

 creased each day. A slight spray- 

 ing with a syringe or fine rose 

 water pot will be helpful, and 

 slight shading from bright sun- 

 light will be necessary. 



KALGOORLIE - HOTEL, 



HINDLEY STREET. 



CHARLES HONES, Proprietor 

 (Late of Theatre Royal Hotel). 



Good accommodation for Country 

 visitors. Tariff, 25/- per week ; 4/6 

 per day. 



B«da, 1/6 per sislit. MeaU 1/- 



