88 
another, and afterwards these organs of reproduction arise, 
it can easily be conceived how the pollen of one species may 
fall on the ovule of another, and thus a hybrid Fern be 
formed. 
It is now evident, that, whoever wishes to have a particu- 
lar Fern, must be very careful not to sow the spores of any 
other in the same place. The agriculturist knows how he 
damages a crop of corn by selecting bad seed. The garden- 
er, too, will have a sorry exhibition, if he thoughtlessly 
intermixes his spores. These rules apply to the foreign as 
well as the beautiful productions of our own neighbourhood. 
The spring is the best period of the year for sowing. Small 
pots should be selected. Half the pot should be filled with 
earthenware broken very fine. This will prevent the water 
stagnating. A thin layer of bog moss (sphagnum) should 
be spread over these sherds. A compost should then be 
made of loose bog earth and white sand. The bog earth 
must first be crumbled and placed in a hot oven, that any 
lurking organic matter or worms may be destroyed. When 
this compost is duly prepared and thrown on the bog moss 
to less than an inch from the highest part, it should be 
watered. The spores should then be sown, but care must 
be taken that they be not too thickly strewn or too much 
watered, as they are apt to crowd and kill one another. 
After the first time the water should never be placed on the 
earth, but in a saucer underneath. A plain flat piece. of 
glass, or a bell-glass should be put on the pot, which should 
be placed in a light but shady place. When the young 
plants appear, and they appear in green scales almost trans- 
parent, a little air may be at first admitted, and that 
increased by degrees. If they are too thick, they must be 
thinned by taking off patches here and there, and planting 
them in similar pots. As this is apt to disturb them, it is 
much better not to sow them too thick at first. Some sow 
them on little pieces of sandstone or broken brick, but in 
such cases there is great difficulty in transplanting. As the 
plants grow, they must be adapted to their natural climate, 
to the greenhouse, stove, or open air, but in all cases moist- 
ure and shade is desirable. Stagnant water must be avoided. 
2. Ferns may also be propagated by dividing the root- 
stock. If it be a creeping root-stock, it should be so divided 
