HOW TO PROPAGATE FERNS. 



145 



the earth watered, the spores may be sprinkled 

 over the surface. The whole should then be 

 covered with a bell-glass (PI. 8, Fig. i), or, if there 

 should be room for the young plants, with a pane 

 of window-glass (PI. 8, Fig. 2). Some large culti- 

 vators prefer to have the pans placed in a special 

 case, with a sash to close it within a few inches of 

 the pans ; thus saving the trouble of removing so 

 many glasses when examining the young plants. 



For the hardy species, a frame out of doors, in 

 summer, will answer very well ; but, as it is much 

 easier to obtain plants already grown from the 

 fields and woods, it will seldom be worth the while 

 to raise any such species from spores. 



The pans must be kept moist, but never watered 

 from the top, as this will surely wash away the 

 spores. The best way is to stand the pans in a 

 shallow dish of water, and allow the supply to be 

 drawn up as required. 



Smith states that the spores of some ferns will 

 not germinate till eighteen months after they are 

 sown, while those of some species of Gymno- 

 gramme and Cheilaitthes appear in a few days. In 

 due time, generally a few weeks after the sowing 

 of the spores, the prothalli of the future ferns may 

 be seen, covering the earth, as it were, with a green 

 mould. In a short time the true fronds will be 

 developed. Some ferns grow very rapidly, — As- 

 pidium molley for example, making plants twelve 



