A Dictionary of Choice Ferns. 297 
in whicli the fronds are produced from a single 
crown. The epiphytal species (those provided with 
rhizomes of a thickness varying from that of a quill 
pen to that of a man's thumb), which do not burrow, 
but keep near, or even on, the surface of the soil, 
require good fibrous peat, or, better still, half-de- 
cayed leaf mould, in which silver sand is not needed, 
but to which a fourth part of fibrous loam may be 
added to give it cohesion. Whether grown in pots 
or planted in the rockery, these species should have 
good drainage and comparatively shallow pots or 
pockets. The epiphytal species are particularly 
adapted for covering Tree-Fern stems and for grow- 
ing in hanging baskets, in which positions their 
rambling habit is shown to great advantage. 
P. aureum and its varieties are among the 
most popular of all the species. The value of these 
Ferns for decorative purposes is sufficiently attested 
by the fact that thousands of them annually 
find their way to Covent Garden Market; some 
growers, indeed, make quite a speciality of them, 
as much on account of their rapid growth as be- 
cause of their distinct habit. Although the fronds 
have a natural tendency to be produced from a single 
rhizome, the plants may, by judicious treatment, be 
rendered useful as pot subjects. To obviate this 
mode of growth, the extremity of the rhizome is en- 
tirely cut off when only about 2in. long, the result 
of that operation being the production of several 
lateral rhizomes growing out of the mutilated one in 
all directions, thus making bushy and compact 
plants. Being evergreen and strong growers, 
P. aureum and its varieties require substantial food ; 
a mixture consisting of about equal proportions of 
fibrous peat, loam, and silver sand suits them best. 
They must also receive a liberal supply of water at 
the roots while growing, as well as occasional water- 
ings with weak liquid manure. 
The majority of Polypodiums are propagated by 
division of their rhizomes, which operation may be 
carried out at almost any time of the year; but a 
few species grown extensively for decorative purposes 
