f FOR BOTH AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL 
1 GROWERS OF THE GLADIOLUS, DAHLIA, IRIS, ETC. 
Entered as second-class matter March 31, 1914, at post office at 
Calcium, N.Y., under act of March 3, 1879. 
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I PUBLISHED MONTHLY ON THE FIRST OF THE | 
| MONTH BY MADISON COOPER, CALCIUM, N. Y. j 
| Subscription price: Three years, $2.00; One year, $1.00. 
INDOOR FERN CULTURE. 
[ IV ritttn txprtuly ftr The Fltwir Growtr. ] 
By Bertha Berbert-Hammond. 
T HAT no foliage plant 
excels in grace and 
beauty a healthy, well- 
grown specimen of 
Fern is proved by the gen- 
eral use of Ferns for indoor 
decorative effect. Though 
this class of plants is usually 
vigorous and fairly easy to 
grow, many persons fail to 
obtain entire satisfaction, 
often due to the fact that 
the cultural requirements 
are not rightly understood. 
Contrary to the usual ac- 
cepted idea, the soil in 
which Ferns are grown 
should not be kept continu- 
ously wet and soggy, as such 
condition will, in time, 
cause the soil to sour, the 
roots to decay, and the foli- 
age to turn brown. Moder- 
ate watering and sprinkling 
of the foliage about three 
times a week will usually 
be found sufficient. Occa- 
sionally, allowing the soil 
to become quite dry and 
then watering with lime- 
water until it runs out of 
the drainage hole, will tend 
to keep the soil in a sweet 
condition. Under the im- 
pression that dense shade 
is conducive to the best de- 
velopment of a Fern, a dark 
situation is frequently 
selected when, in fact, Ferns 
require sunlight part of the 
time, at least. A few va- 
rieties do well even in direct 
sunlight if some protection 
from the hot mid-day rays 
is afforded. Setting the pot 
containing the Fern into an 
outer pot and filling the in- 
tervening space with sphag- 
num moss will prevent the hot rays 
from beating against the sides of the 
Fern pot and injuring the plant and 
In a window where they 
receive the morning sun 
and are in partial shade 
some of the time most 
Ferns will thrive and de- 
velop into superb speci- 
mens. Hot, dry air is 
detrimental to Ferns, caus- 
ing the fronds to dry off. 
Placing shallow pans of 
water about on radiators, 
registers or stoves will in- 
troduce moisture into the 
atmosphere and prove bene- 
ficial not only to the plants 
but also to the occupants of 
the room. 
Occasionally, Ferns are 
attacked by a kind of scale 
causing the plant to present 
an unsightly appearance. 
When detected the scales 
should be rubbed off and 
the foliage immersed in 
warm soapsuds, repeating 
the operation if necessary. 
Should the foliage be badly 
infested, the infected fronds 
should be cut off close to 
the ground and cremated. 
A thin layer of top soil 
should be replaced by fresh 
compost and the surface 
lightly covered with 
chopped or powdered to- 
bacco. The new fronds as 
they come up will be free 
of the pest and with a little 
care may be kept so. The 
seed spores which develop 
according to a regular 
method upon the underside 
of fronds, will not be mis- 
taken, excepting by the 
most inexperienced, for 
these scales, which are of a 
different shape and appear 
at irregular intervals upon 
the stems and under side of the foli- 
age. 
Most Ferns delight in and require 
GLADIOLUS— GIANT FAWN. 
Originated by A. E. Kunderd, Goshen, Ind. Very large, deep fawn-yellow, 
faintly blush-pink bordered. Beautiful red.line in throat. An extra large 
yellow. (Not ruffled.) 
will also aid in conserving and equaliz- 
ing the distribution of moisture about 
the roots of the plants. 
