28 
Choice Ferns for Amateurs. 
PROPAGATION. 
Ferns inuy be propugated in several ways by 
spores, which is the more usual and natural ; by 
division of the crowns; by the rooting of the proli- 
ferous growths found upon the surface of the fronds 
in certain species ; and by the development of the 
latent eyes or buds found at the base of some of the 
others, &c. 
Spores. 
To even the veriest novice, so soon as he be 
conversant with the habit of the different species of 
Ferns, it will be patent that for the majority, propa- 
gation by means of spores is the most natural method, 
while for others it is the only one — Tree 
Ferns, for example. No one having seen a 
Tree Fern (Fig. 25) could think that it could 
be propagated by division. One often hears 
complaints about spores not germinating.^' 
Usually this is the fault of the cultivator in 
not taking them at the proper time — i.e., before 
the contents of the cases have been shed. Ordinarily 
one is told to wait until the sori have assumed a 
mature appearance — brown, black, or greenish, ac- 
cording to the species. This is sound enough 
generally, but with genera like Todea and Osmunda, 
and a few others, it would not hold good. If the 
capsules have burst, the cultivator may conclude 
that he is too late. The spore-bearing fronds should 
be cut, and be allowed to dry for two or three days in 
white paper bags, after which time the spores should 
be sown as soon as possible. Although Fern spores 
may be sown at any time, March and April are the 
most favourable months, as, if properly treated, 
seedlings raised then have sufficient time to form 
crowns strong enough to stand the following winter. 
With those sown later there is the risk of the re- 
sulting young plants being destroyed during winter, 
especially if heavy fogs are prevalent. Even those 
spores which naturally ripen during the autumn or 
winter, if collected and kept in paper, in a dry but 
