:38 



THE FILMY FERNS. 



browned all over, while inside the clump they are still 

 unhurt. A few pine bushes stuck around it would have 

 saved the whole. A little further down the street an 

 old lady grows her favorite oleander in a large tub. In 

 her yard is a dense growth of low branching Magnolia 

 grandijlora, and the evergreen cherry [Cerasus lanro- 

 cerasus). Under them she pushes the tub with the olean- 

 der in winter. I saw it yesterday without a singed leaf. 

 This beautiful glossy-leaved laurel cherry, too, ought 



to be tested a little further north. It makes a haffidsome 

 low-growing tree here, and is covered with short racemes, 

 of small white flowers in February. I believe it would 

 succeed well in the coast country of the eastern shore 

 of Virginia and Maryland, as I believe it is fully as 

 hardy as the crape myrtle, as to its wood, thoug-h its 

 flower-buds and leaves might be cut in the northern 

 limit of the lagerstrcemia. W. F. Massey. 



North Carolina Experiment Station . 



THE FILMY FERNS. 



BEAUTIFUL EXOTICS AND HOW TO GROW THE^ 



AMONG the throng of beautiful ferns that 

 enrich the flora of tropical and subtrop- 

 ical regions, none are of a higher interest 

 than those minute transparent forms 

 known as the "filmies." 



Deep shade, a moisture-laden atmosphere, and an 

 even temperature are essential to them, and although 

 widely distributed over the earth's surface, they are al- 

 ways found in localities that furnish these conditions — 

 the West Indies, South and Central America, Asia and 

 Australia, and even as far north as the British Isles. 

 Variable in form, delicate in texture, and requiring but 

 little space, they are of unusual in- 

 terest to lovers of rare plants. Their 

 structure is peculiar ; the transpar- 

 ent veins serve to expand a thin, 

 smooth, translucent membrane. The 

 Fig I. — Fruciifi- sorus terminates a single vein, and is 

 CATION OF Hymen- surrounded by a cap or chalice- 

 OPHYLLUM. shaped involucre. Fig. i represents 

 the fructification of the genus hymenophyllum, and Fig. 

 2 a small portion of trichomanes, showing two sori, one 

 sectionally cut. 



Hemenophyllum includes over 70 species and tricho- 

 manes perhaps 80, while only one or two species of 

 todea can be classed among the " filmies." These vary 

 considerably in size, from the two or three-lines-long 

 fronds of Uytiienopliyllum 

 parvifoliutn to the rather 

 large todeas. They are 

 as variable in form; some 

 have entire foliage, while 

 the fronds of others are 

 very finely cut. Most 

 species are epiphytes, 

 growing on stems and 

 decayed wood. 



Hymenopliyllum polyan- 

 thos is a well-known slen- 

 der species, widely dif- 

 fused throughout the 



tropics; usually four or five inches high, with one-inch 

 broad pinnate fronds. H. Javanicuni is about as large, 

 but with broader and feathery fronds. //. densiosuin is 



— 1- KbCTlFICAlION OF 



Trichomanes. 



a larger and more robust form, but similar to H. poly- 

 antlws. H. ciliatum (Fig. 3), //. ceruginosum (Fig. 4) and 

 H. lineare are all delicate and beautiful sf>ecies. H. 

 Tiinhridgense is a hardy and 

 beautiful British plant. 



Trichomanes elegans, nrtic- 

 ulatitm (Fig. 5), Jlabellattim, 

 crispttm, pyxidiferzim['F\g.6), 

 alatum, radicnns and auricu- 

 latuiii are all very beautiful 

 and delicate but ratherlarge 

 species. T. venosum is a very 

 handsome slender pinnate 

 form, and T. parvulum, digi- 

 tatiim and Lyalli are very 

 minute, the first with fronds 

 only half an inch long. T. 

 reniforme is interesting, be- 

 cause of its entire, reniform 

 fronds ; it grows about six 

 inches high. 



Todea superba is a magnifi- 

 cent species, with fronds 

 about 18 inches long, deeply 

 and finely cut. T. hymeno^ Fi^. 3.-Hymenophyllum 

 ^, ,, . , , ^ ciliatum. 



phylloides grows about a s 



large, but it is of a more delicate texture. Another 

 equally beautiful kind is T. Frazeri. 



The culture of these ferns is by no means difficult. 

 They all require a moist, shady place, and can, with a 

 few exceptions, be grown in a temperate house. Todeas 

 do better in a cool greenhouse. A few good Wardian 

 cases, pieces of sandstone and trunks of tree-ferns to 

 plant the epiphytal kinds on, and peat and moss for 

 the more robust forms, are all the material required. 

 Plenty of sphagnum should be used with the peat. 

 Most of the epiphytal kinds require no moss, growing 

 best on clean stems or rocks when the moisture is suffi- 

 cient. The cases should be placed so as to exclude all 

 sunshine, and must be kept free from draughts. When 

 the plants are well established, the watering should be 

 done so carefully as not to touch the leaves. The bot- 

 tom of the case should be covered with clean pebbles, 

 and these must be sprinkled as often as necessary to 



