should always be kept full and from which sufficient 

 moisture will be drawn. 



The best place to start spores is in a close atmosphere 

 in a bottom heat of from 60 to 65 degrees. Shade should 

 be provided during the day, but should be removed when 

 the sun is not shining directly on the house. In from 

 ten days to two weeks, depending on the variety, the 

 surface of the pan will assume a green mossy appear- 

 ance. This is produced by the protalli, which as they 

 become larger will be seen to be small heart-shaped 

 bodies. These in due time produce the sexual organs, the 

 antheridia and archegonia. By sowing two or more 

 varieties in one pan the possibility of the spermatozoids 

 from one variety coming in contact with the archegonium 

 of another may bring about cross fertilization. 



The difference in the time needed for the maturing 

 of the sexual organs of the different varieties would 

 need to be studied with the microscope to give a fair 

 chance of bringing about a cross, but this is hardly within 

 the sphere of the ordinary gardener who has to plod along 

 by rule of thumb and take his chance of striking it by 

 accident. No doubt many of the varieties now cultivated 

 have been thus produced. 



The crested and variegated forms are mostly the result 

 of sporting, which is the only other means by which new 

 varieties are produced. If the spores have been thinly 

 sown it may not be necessary to transplant until they 

 begin to throw up the little fronds, though they general ly 

 require transplanting before that stage is reached. For 

 this shallow flats are the most suitable, a loose sandy 

 compost being provided. They should be lifted in small 

 bunches on a wooden ladle which has been rounded and 

 thinned down on one end for the purpose. The back of 

 the ladle is pressed down into the soil sufficiently to make 

 a little hollow receptacle and when withdrawn from be- 

 low leaves the little clumps in proper position without 

 having to be touched by hand. Being of a very fragile 

 nature the least touch will bruise them. Some do not 



