﻿The fern BULLETIN 



115 



but, in the sunny places, along- roadsides, and along the 

 river-banks, fruited specimens may be found in great 

 abundance. 



II. Production of Roots and Shoots. 



When stalks of Equisetum hyemale are put into 

 water, small papillae show themselves in five days on 

 the lowest node. Two days later they have appeared 

 also on the node, next above. These little papillae have 

 been produced by new shoots penetrating the tissues, 

 and which, a few days later grow out into the air. 

 These shoots grow out from the nodes only, not only 

 from those in water, but also from those above. None 

 ever appear at the injured end. The shoots are true 

 stems, and grow upward into the light ; from the lower 

 end of the shoots roots appear which grow downward 

 into the water. Whether the base of the stalk or its 

 apex be placed in water, the results are practically the 

 same. 



As cuttings rooted so well in water, and which later 

 could be transplanted into soil and grow, I tried root- 

 ing them in soil direct. On April 10, planted 8 cuttings 

 upright in soil and then placed two flat on the ground, 

 covering them only, here and there, lightly with soil. 

 On June 30, visited the spot again, and found 7 of the 

 upright specimens rooted and growing, also one of the 

 specimens that had been lying on the ground. 



Cuttings taken from very young stems, while yet of 

 that light green color, do not root at all, only those 

 taken from mature stems will do so, and that too, at 

 all seasons, whether winter or summer, spring or au- 

 tumn. 



It is interesting that cuttings will root whether 

 placed upright, with base in water, or inverted. Stems 



