BRITISH FERNS. 
17 
window ; it is left undisturbed for several days, and has in that 
time spread its young frondage to the best advantage. Its owner 
then lifts it up to inspect it or show it admiringly to visitors, and 
having done this puts it back in its place with its window face 
turned towards the room. Half the length of the growing 
fronds has stiffened as aforesaid, the other half is open to 
readjustment, and completes its growth accordingly, unless 
meanwhile an additional “ kink ” is imparted by another shift. 
Result — twist d and distorted fronds, and an ugly Fern in lie-u of 
a pretty one. This indiscriminate turning and shifting is the main 
cause of non-success in growing handsome specimens, and the 
proper cure for this is to insert a peg or label in the pot, and see 
that that is always retained in the same position. Plants will 
grow towards the light, and this fact must be recognised and put 
up with. Watering is always a problem with room plants, but 
here again Ferns can stand saturation better than other plants, 
and if the pots be well drained, or one pot be fitted into another, 
the use of a saucer avoids much risk of drought, and is little likely 
to do harm. Regularity is, however, a great thing, and Ferns, 
minus saucers, watered thoroughly every morning when in full 
growth are fa rly su' e to thrive. As regards gas fumes, plants in 
rooms where gas is burnt may be set on the floor at night with 
advantage, since in this position they run the minimum of risk. 
As regards the class of Ferns best fitted for room decoration, 
the great bulk of those supplied by the trade are exotics, the 
consumption of which is enormous in view of the defective culture, 
or rather, the effective slaughter, involved intheii usual treatment 
by the purchasers. It is safe to say that not one in ten thousand 
room Ferns is fit to be s.en a month after purchase. Exotic 
Ferns are easily and rapidly raised from spores and propagated in 
other ways, and it is doubtless due to this fact and the consequent 
cheapness that the trade confines itself to them rather than to 
those native varieties which form our theme. Our hardy British 
Ferns not being amenable to forcing treatment, which they resent, 
take, as a rule, several years to develop into full-sized plants or 
saleable specimens, hence they are not so easily brought to 
market by the thousand, and, indeed, we should be sorry to see 
them subjected to the slaughter aforesaid, and only suggest their 
adoption to those who are prepared tostudy their n itural needs, treat 
them common-sensibly, and, as a reward, be able to show, as the 
writer can, beautiful plants in prime condition, whose acquisition 
dates back a quarter of a century. As room and window plants, 
indeed, our hardy Ferns cannot be excelled, provided they are not 
turned about constantly like so many teetotums, and are not c ddled 
for a week and left dry for a month, and so on. Among all the 
exotics, for instance, we have no range of dwarf gems, fifty of 
