A Dictionary of Choice Ferns. 
283 
habit and in the treatment that they require. While 
0. japoniciiin thrives well in a cool house — in fact, 
will not stand stove treatment, under which it is 
soon attacked by thrips — O, auratum requires a 
stove, or at least a good intermediate house, all the 
year round. The same compost suits them both, 
viz., a mixture of fibrous loam, peat or leaf mould, 
and silver sand, in about equal proportions. Both 
should be potted loosely, as they have great aversion 
to hard soil at any time. Care must also be taken 
to ensure their fronds being kept dry at all seasons, 
as if allowed to get wet they soon turn to a darkish 
brown colour and begin to decay. 
O, japonicum is easily propagated from spores, 
which germinate freely, or by division; but the 
same cannot be said of O. auratum, which no doubt 
would be equally popular if its propagation were 
more rapid; the fact of its forming only single 
crowns prevents its increase by division. The only 
mode of dealing effectually with this handsome 
species is, therefore, by means of seedlings, which 
come up freely enough, but which have a natural 
tendency to damp off just above ground while in a 
young state. 
O. auratum. 
This lovely, evergreen, stove species is a native of the 
Malayian Peninsula and Isliands. The barren and the fertile 
fronds lare of similar dimensions, but otherwise different. 
Both kinds are borne on stout, erect, naked stalks, 6in. to 
12in. long, of a pale brown colour. The barren ones, 1ft. 
or more in length and 8in. to 12in. broad, are quadripin- 
natifid; their lower leaflets, somewhat triangular and 
spreading, are 4in. to 6in. long, and furnished with 
numerous leafits and segments of a somewhat triangular 
shape ; their ultimate divisions are often wedge-shaped and 
trifid at the summit. The fertile fronds are readily dis- 
tinguished at first sight by their less divided nature, and 
by the pod-like appearance of their leafits, which are seldom 
more than ^in. to lin. long and Jin. broad. The upper 
surface of both kinds of fronds is of a beautiful bright glossy 
green, while the under-surface of the fertile ones is rendered 
very attractive by the rich golden colour of its sori, which 
are covered with an involucre of parchment-like texture. In 
potting or planting this species, the utmost care should be 
