AATIVE FERNS. 



66i 



fern formation. Moss, in such patches as are torn up 

 in rambles to the woods, is laid snugly around the roots 

 of my pets, and is pushed down out of sight as soon as 

 it is dead, or a new piece is found. This, with the 

 rocks, protects the roots from drying out. Surely we 

 need but to be alert in order to make friends with our 

 commonplace appearing neighbors, who gladly repay 

 any well directed kindness. 

 • — Jennie Buell, Michigan. 



hart's-tongue fern. 



The members of the genus 

 scolopendrium, to which the 

 Hart's-tongue {^Scolopendri- 

 um vulgare) belongs, are so 

 unlike other ferns that they 

 hardly appear to belong to 

 the same family. 



The fronds of the differ- 

 ent varieties vary from a few 

 inches to two feet in length, 

 and are from one to two or 

 three inches in width. The 

 leaf orfrond is stiff and leath- 

 ery in appearance ; the mid- 

 rib is very rigid and upright, 

 arid the leaf stalk, or stipe, 

 tough and strong. Theunder 

 surface of the fronds bears 

 the spores in long rusty lines, 

 extending in an oblique di- 

 rection on either side of the 

 mid-rib towards the margin. 

 Each of these lines consists 

 of a double series of spore 

 cases. These are at first 

 covered with a thin mem- 

 brane, but this ruptures 

 down the center between the 

 double clusters and exposes 

 the spore cases as they ma- 

 ture. 



There are a number of va- 

 rieties of this fern, and most 

 of them show a preference 

 for cool, moist, shady situa- 

 tions. Many of the hand- 

 somest of the genus are found 

 in caves and among rocks on 

 the sea shore, from which, 

 in many localities, it has de- 

 rived the name of sea-weed 

 fern. The] variety called 



crispum has a long frond, waved at the edge so as to 

 resemble a frill or ruffle. It is commonly cultivated, 

 and is increased by division of the roots, for it is always 

 barren. 



Another of the genus is called cristatum, and has the 

 frond divided near the top, and each division is divided 



and sub-divided so as to form a bushy tuft. Digitatum 

 is another crested variety. Its fronds are flat and re- 

 semble a hand with fingers spread apart. Abruptum 

 has an oval frond, nearly kidney-shaped, which recom- 

 mends it as a rare and pleasing variety for a collection. 



Minute differences in the manner of toothing at the 

 edge of the fronds, of dividing or branching, of expand- 



Yucca gloriosa, var. recur\'ifolia. — The Yucca kecurva of Gardens 



ing or modifying the lobes at the base, of cresting at the 

 summit, of diminishing or increasing the length of frond, 

 all give rise to varieties better appreciated and under- 

 stood by professional cultivators than cared for by the 

 amateur. 



Perhaps the most curious fact concerning the Hart's- 



