CULTIVATION 
19 
are unsatisfactory. And, still, in its forest home it is one of 
the prettiest ferns, and occasionally it is so in cultivation. 
WOODSIA BURGESSIANA is a small alpine fern, more or 
less regularly deciduous, usually found among loose boulder 
rocks, and seldom below 5000 feet altitude. It is not difficult 
to cultivate, however, if given a cool spot among stones, plenty 
of drainage, and a half-decomposed leaf mould soil. 
Davallia is a genus containing many species of very 
diverse appearance and habit, and is represented in South 
Africa by one species only — D. chaerophylloides — which is one 
of the so-called Haresfoot ferns, the scaly rhizome having a 
considerable resemblance to a hare’s foot. Its natural habitat 
is in cracks in rocks, or between fixed stones, or in moss on 
tree-trunks, and in cultivation it is usually most successful 
when given more bricks or stones than soil. It enjoys sun- 
shine, in a moist atmosphere, it is not difficult to keep healthy, 
and is often cultivated in Europe. The fronds are firm, and 
useful with cut flowers, but too few fronds are produced to 
make it a profitable fern to grow for cut-flower work. 
MlCROLEPIA SPELUNCAE is a vigorous softly herbaceous 
fern found in moist glades in woods, the rhizomes long, and 
the fronds abundant and sometimes two yards high. No fern is 
more easy of cultivation, and it is often a prize-taker at shows 
as the best specimen native fern. It enjoys a soil mostly leaf 
mould, with abundant drainage and abundant water-supply. 
Like most softly herbaceous ferns, it flags off entirely if 
allowed to get dry, but fresh fronds come again with re- 
markable rapidity. It is easily transplanted from its native 
habitat, and takes possession of a pot as if it enjoyed being 
there. 
CYSTOPTERIS FRAGILIS is a well known British fern, native 
also in South Africa, growing here beside streams under thick 
bush, or in deep upland ravines. It is easily cultivated, in 
ordinary loam, but dislikes hot winds, or bright sunshine. 
It is almost deciduous and loses its old fronds as soon as 
the young ones appear. 
