— 5 2 ~ 



a show as soon as possible an effort to retain the old 

 fronds should be made. In digging the ferns, as many of 

 the roots as possible should be taken as any shortage in 

 the root-system will prevent the fronds from getting suffi- 

 cient moisture. If any fronds are injured in digging 

 they may be removed as this will also lessen the demands 

 upon the roots for moisture, and when for any reason but 

 few roots can be obtained, all the fronds should be re- 

 moved. By such treatment the most unpromising speci- 

 mens may be induced to survive. By proper care in dig- 

 ging and packing, ferns may be kept out of the earth for 

 weeks and transported thousands of miles without harm 

 There are no ferns that cannot be grown in our gardens 

 if proper attention to their wants is given. To have 

 them thrive best, give them situations as nearly like the 

 originals as possible or improve upon them if you can. 

 Some ferns are more easily grown than others and it may 

 be said in a general way that the common ferns are least 

 fastidious as to requirements and that the care necessary 

 to make a rare fern live is in direct proportion to its 

 rarity. The beginner by taking up the common ferns 

 first will soon learn how to care for the rarities. 



Packing Fresh Fronds. — The following methods of 

 sending fresh specimens of fern fronds, for long dis- 

 tances, have proved to be excellent. Professor House, 

 while in Washington, sent to me for quite a quantity of 

 ScolopendriumSj upon which he had run short after offer- 

 ing it. I could not take the time to press them for him 

 and so concluded to ship green by express. I took large 

 heavy sheets of paper, thoroughly paraffined them, cut 

 so that one sheet went down one side of a wooden box, 

 across the bottom, up the opposite side, the ends long 

 enough to cover the top when folded over. Another 

 piece was laid in the box the opposite way, then the ferns 

 were closely packed in, the paraffined papers folded over 

 them and the wood cover nailed on. Mr. House reported 

 their arrival by express in perfect condition. Again last 



