THE EARLIEST FERN. 



'HE question has been asked, which is our earliest fern, and 



it was answered a few years ago in the Bulletin that it was 



Cystopteris fragilis; but I have reason to doubt this. A 

 few years ago I had some Pellcea gracilis sent me, and in want 

 of a limestone ledge I planted it on the mossy roots of an old wil- 

 low with the walking-fern. Both are doing well without lime, 

 and the Pell&a is spreading rapidly. I think I have here the 

 earliest and the latest together. On April ioth the little croziers 

 of the Pellcea wee unrolling, even in the shade on the north side 

 of a fence, while Cystopteris fragilis in a rockery in the garden 

 had not shown signs of life. On May i the Pellcea was fully ex- 

 panded, while the Cystopteris was only partly unrolled and this, too ^ 

 in spite of its more favorable position. Has anyone else noticed 

 Pellcea gracilis in early spring? — A. A. Eaton. 



IN India, according to Indian Gardening, they have an inter- 

 esting way of growing ferns on the outside of porous earth- 

 enware vessels. The vessels may be of many shapes, but are 

 best made bottle-shaped, with strong necks by which to hang 

 them up. The vessel is first plastered roughly with mortar, and 

 when this dries the rootstocks of the ferns are bound upon it 

 with fine wire. The vessel is then filled with water, and this 

 oozing out constantly keeps the ferns in proper condition. Ap- 

 parently all the other sustenance the plant needs is taken from 

 the mortar and the air. Growers of American ferns may find 

 this method worth exploiting. Maiden-hair ferns are recom- 

 mended for growing thus, but any fern would probably do, 

 especially those with running rootstocks like the common poly- 

 pody. A process akin to this has long been in use on this side 

 for growing fern prothalli. Essentially it is simply an unglazed 

 flower pot with the hole in the bottom corked and filled with 

 water. The little fern plants soon begin to sprout on the moist 

 outer surface of the pot, and grow thriftily until large enough to 

 be planted by themselves, being always kept properly moist by 

 the water which oozes through the sides of the pot. — W. N. C. 



NEW WAY OF GROWING FERNS. 



