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THE TOOK OP 
but care would have to be taken to avoid all but thoroughbred 
symmetrical forms, since faults are almost certain to be 
transmitted and the progeny marred. 
Asplenium trichomanes has, so far as I know, never yet 
been crossed or hybridised. A. t. confluens, Stabler, an 
asserted hybrid with A. marinum, does not bear the test of 
investigation, as A. marinum did not grow near the locality of 
origin ; and although its spores are always imperfect, this is 
not enough to estab ish hybridity by itself. A. trichomanes 
cristatum, however, would be well worth sowing with other 
Asplenia, many of which are obviously very closely allied 
indeed. Our Blechnum spicant has given us some charming 
forms, crested, di-sected, and otherwise varied. B. s. cristatum, 
B. s. ramosum, Kinahan, B s. trinerviocoronans, Barnes 
B. s. concinnum, Druery (strings of emerald scallop shells), 
B. s. plumosum, Airey, and others, one and all might find 
fit mates among exotic Blechnums and Lomarias, to many of 
which new charms would certainly be imparted, the twofold 
character of the fertile and barren fronds emphasising 
greatly the varietal features. Our Lastreas or Nephrodiums 
and the exotic ones afford another field for combination, as 
well as our marvellous Polystichums, of which the best 
plumose divisilobes are often sufficiently fertile to afford 
mateiial. P. setosum especially should be tried with some 
of the best. Could thorough alliances be effected between 
this lovely lucent hard-fronded evergreen Shield Fern and such 
gems as P. a. cristatum (Wollaston No. io), P. a. cristato- 
gracile, Moly, and some of the divisilobe plumosums of Jones 
and Fox, Pearson and Esplan, the results could only be gems 
of first water. Then there are our Osmunda regalis and 
Osmunda japonica cristata to act as suitors to O. cinnamonea, 
O. interriipta, and O. gracilis, and finally there are our lovely 
forms of Polypodium vulgare, P. v. cristatum, grandiceps, Fox, 
Forster, and Parker, bifido-cristatum, and puicherrimum, to 
say nothing of P. v. elegantissimum, the British-born parent 
of P. Schneiderii, all waiting for chances of the introduction 
which they certainly merit to the aristocratic Fern circles of 
their more stately foreign relatives. The field indeed is all 
but virgin, and 1 am confident that careful cu tivation of it 
would yield a host of new and charming novelties, provided — 
always provided — that it be done on right lines. 
Into the question of simple crosses between varieties 1 do 
not propose to enter, space prohibiting, though to me and to 
British Fern specialists generally there is a wide and fertile 
field still but partly cultivated. I have, however, framed my 
paper rather for the benefit of the more numerous raisers of 
