—2 9 — 



The old roots, torn from their attachment, are deprived of the 

 food they derived from the old bark. The plant died of starva- 

 tion. Is not this conclusion justified by the facts ? 



On account of the other plants, the block has remained in the 

 conservatory. Last fall myriads of spores of the fern germinated 

 on the surface of the dead moss. It is safe to say there are thou- 

 sands. Their development has been a source of great interest. 

 The plants are now in their third frond from the prothallus, and 

 range from half an inch to an inch in length. They would delight 

 the heart of a species-maker. Some of the fronds of the third 

 series are almost sessile, others have stipes half an inch long. In 

 others the phyllous section of the frond is broadly ovate, in others 

 linear. Most are entire, but a large number are equally bilobed, 

 others unequally bilobed, others again presenting but a large tooth 

 on one side. The margins in some cases are ciliate, in others 

 quite entire. In brief it would be difficult to find two plants 

 among t v is vast number exactly alike, while the extremes would 

 hardly bs regarded as of the same species if growing in separate 

 masses by themselves. It must be remembered that all these are 

 from a single plant, and as hybridization can only occur when the 

 plant is in a purely prothallic condition, and no other kind near 

 where these were forming, hybridization as a factor in these vari- 

 ations is out of the question. Nor can conditions of environment 

 be called in for an explanation. 



But my main object is to draw attention to the supposed 

 epiphytic habit of this fern, and other supposed " air plants " by 

 the suggestion that they may be a little more than epiphytes after 

 all. 



Germantown, Phila. 



I would like to record the fact that the spares of Aspidium 

 simulatum are undoubtedly capable of germination. I sowed 

 some last winter in a flower pot on thoroughly sterilized earth. 

 In about eight weeks prothallia appeared in large numbers. Un- 

 fortunately, some time afterward, but before plants could develop, 

 the sun slightly dried the surface one morning and every prothallus 

 perished — another instance of the fragility of young prothallia. — 

 Margaret Slosson. 



" The sent of feme is very gratefull to the braine."— Parkin- 

 son. 



