442 
Notes. 
impossible that this knob has something to do with the whole 
structure. 
The second leaf I had only for a few minutes in my hands, and 
unfortunately I forgot to make sure of this point before I returned 
the leaf. 
A. ERNST, 
University of Caracas, Venezuela. 
NOTE ON THE PROPAGATION OF FERNS.— In raising 
ferns from spores it is possible to obtain almost any form that is aimed 
at, if spores can be obtained from the varieties to be changed in any 
wished-for direction. For example, if spores from a plumose form of 
Athyrium , Polypodium , or Polystichum be sown with any polydactylous 
forms of these species it is possible (and it has been accomplished) to 
raise plumose forms that are polydactylous ; and we have now 
most beautiful polydactylous-plumose forms of Athyrium , Polypodium, 
and Polystichum. The plumose form is merely taken haphazard as 
an example, for the same may be said of forms that are cruciate, 
capitate, ramose, truncate, setose, sagittate, depauperate, multilobate, 
or linear, etc., or of the combinations of these forms. 
One striking feature with regard to ferns is a similarity in the varieties 
of the various species. 
The increase in the number of beautiful varieties has been very 
great during the past few years, and so much success has attended 
attempts to produce variation in form, that it seemed desirable to 
endeavour to obtain varieties that are variegated. This I have 
accomplished by sowing spores of Scolopendrium crispum and various 
other varieties together, and adding to these, spores of a variegated 
form ; there have resulted young plants that are variegated, and which 
at the same time have the forms of all those sown together \ 
As might be expected, the more extraordinary the variety that is 
1 At the British Association Meeting at Bath a paper on Hybrid Ferns, by 
E. J. Lowe and Colonel Jones, was read, a note of which (with illustrations) 
appeared in the Annals of Botany. 
