April 18, 1889. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
315 
called ovules. Each ovule contains a protoplasmic nucleated cell, 
known as an embryo cell. 
Continuing the examination of the interior of the flower, we find 
growing up from the bottom of the cup six stamens, arranged around 
the central pistil. Each stamen consists of a thin stem with a bag on 
the top. The bag is called the anther, and this is filled with a great 
number of unattached or loose cells, which look like dust and are 
called pollen. When the anther at the top of the stamen reaches 
maturity it bursts, and the pollen dust is shed abroad. Many of the 
pollen cells fall on and adhere to the stigma at the top of the pistil, 
and then a strange process comes into operation. Placed under the 
microscope a grain of pollen is found to be a double coated cell. Its 
outer coat is here and there extremely thin, so thin that in many 
places it has nearly disappeared. When the pollen cell adheres to the 
stigma the moisture on the surface of the latter penetrates into the 
tiny cell and causes it to swell very much. The process of swelling 
proceeds until the outer coat of the pollen cell is rent in one of its 
thin spots, and the inner coat protrudes. So extremely elastic is the 
inner coat that, as the absorption of moisture by the pollen cell con¬ 
tinues, the protruding portion is forced down into the stigma in the 
form of a minute tube. This tube in its downward passage insinuates 
itself between the walls of adjacent cells until it enters the ovule, and 
pierces the wall of the embryo cell. The embryo cell then developes 
with wonderful energy. Cellular subdivision proceeds at a rapid rate, 
and at last a small plant lies enclosed in the envelope which hides this 
initial growth. This minute or embryo plant in the form of a seed is 
ready to embark upon a separate existence. Supply it with the neces¬ 
sary temperature and moisture, and off it starts on its own independent 
career. 
I have spoken of the unicellular Algae at the bottom of the scale of 
plant life, and we have seen that their method of propagation differs 
only in name from what we have seen as plant growth in other forms. 
Wide as is the gap between the method of propagation in the Algae and 
that in the Wallflower, it is now our object to find some third method 
which will rightly be interposed between these two. 
We shall now proceed to consider our Fern spores, and I trust that 
the preliminary portion of this paper will not be found wanting in 
apposition to the subject mentioned for the whole paper. After what 
we have already noticed it will be unnecessary to loiter long over the 
production of the spores. This is but another result of the process of 
cellular subdivision. Taking the common male Shield Fern (Aspidium 
Filix-mas) for one type, we find on the lower, or as it sometimes appears, 
the back surface of the fertile fronds, rows of kidney shaped bags. A 
double process has to be perfected before the spores which are within 
these bags are properly liberated. First the bag has to crack open. 
Then a cluster of strangely shaped minute bodies is discovered. Each 
one of these is called a sporange, and it consists of a flattened bag with 
a stem, in shape somewhat like a tennis racquet. The spores are not 
yet given up. They lie in a ring round the edge of the sporange in the 
position corresponding to the wooden frame round the racquet. Of 
course the whole of this organisation is very minute. When the ripen¬ 
ing process is complete the sporange becomes so dry that it splits open 
and the spores are shed abroad as a fine dust. 
Now we shall notice the peculiar position of the Fern as compared 
with the unicellular Algae on the one side, and with the flowering plants 
on the other. As in the case of the former a single cell has been de¬ 
tached ; but up to this point we have seen none of that strange inter¬ 
cellular infusion which was the climax of the cellular operations in the 
latter. That intercellular infusion has to take place in the case of the 
spores, but how different is the case from that of the true flowering 
plants. In them the proceess was completed in the parent plant. In 
the Fern we have left the parent plant behind us, and have to take this 
single cell and trace all the necessary processes as a part of its subse¬ 
quent career. 
The tiny spore cell lies where it fell on a moist surface, and 
awaits our most minute examination and continued observation. 
It is, like the po’len cell, double-coated, and, like the pollen 
cell, its outer coat will split when swelling is produced by the 
absorption of moisture into the cell. But this time no tiny tube will 
emerge. A leaf-like expansion will spread over the surface of the 
ground. This is called the prothallus. It is not a leaf, though it may 
perform some of the functions of a leaf. Its under surface is by far 
the more interesting. From it extremely fine hair-like roots descend, 
and amongst them there may be found by the closest inspection ex¬ 
ceedingly minute rings of cells attached to the prothallus. These in¬ 
crease until the ring becomes a short tube. There are many of these 
tubular bodies, and to all outward appearances they are alike. But 
examination shows us at once that there are two distinct classes of 
these bodies. One kind greatly preponderates in number, and one of 
these we will first examine minutely. The interior is occupied by a 
fine spiral filament or thread. This filament is ever restlessly moving 
about and working its way out of its parent tube. It is, in fact, only 
a body having a function similar to that of the pollen cell, and is appro¬ 
priately termed an antherozoid. We leave the filament and turn to one 
of the tubular bodies of the other kind. It is filled with a fluid similar 
to that we observed upon the surface of the stigma of the Wallflower.. 
At the bottom of the little cup which the hollow of the tube forms is 
a single cell, which corresponds to an embryo cell in the Wallflower, 
and is fertilised by the antherozoids in the same way. Then, and not 
till then, do we reach the point of time when the young Fern begins its 
life. The embryo cell becomes an embryo plant, and the function of 
the prothallus is at an end. 
Fou thus see that two distinct and successive growths are needed for 
the production of a new Fern. First the parent plant has to produce 
and throw off those free cells which we call spores. Secondly, the 
spore has to develope something called a prothallus, which shall have 
organs attached to it capable of performing functions analogous to 
those of the pistils and anthers of the flowering plants. So that although 
the single cell thrown off by the Fern in the form of a spore may 
eventually develope into a Fern, yet, as a sort of afterthought, the in¬ 
terfusion of diverse cells has to precede that development. In the 
lowest form we have seen that process of cellular interfusion to be un¬ 
necessary. In the highest forms it is carried on in the structure of the 
parent plant. So that somewhere between the two is the position of. 
the Fern. Time will not permit of my noticing other links in the great 
connecting chain of plant forms, nor is it possible to do more than 
glance back at the time when the Fern had as it were the world to 
itself. Perhaps, in the physical condition of the earth and the atmo¬ 
sphere, there might be found some basis for an attempt to show the per¬ 
fect suitability of the Fern’s method of reproduction to the time of its 
greatest vigour, for in those remote ages the most elementary of the 
Cryptogams grew with a vigour which passes our comprehension. For 
the Club Mosses to reach the dimension of our Pme trees there must 
have been a group of attendant circumstances to which we are 
strangers. 
JUDGING COLLECTIONS OF FRUIT. 
I have read the articles on the above subject with great care, and 
would like to offer a few remarks. I am of the same opinion as Mr. J. 
Wright and ‘‘Judex,” that the uniform standard of value cannot pos¬ 
sibly give justice to a collection of fruit, and, as I am one of the 
younger generation of gardeners, I hope that this discussion may lead to a 
better code of judging than hitherto. As there is not much real dif¬ 
ference between Mr. J. Wright’s system and the one advocated by 
“Judex,” I think they might fairly join hands and say, Let us try to 
improve it so that it may be the best and only system used for judging 
these collections. When such men as Messrs. J. Wright, J. Mclndoe, 
“ J udex,” and M. Temple think it possible to make such a system work¬ 
able, I say “ why not?” If by consultation and sinking small differences 
they can promulgate some practicable method of judging these col¬ 
lections, both judges and exhibitors would be grateful. 
I may mention, just to show that I know a little about exhibiting 
and judging, that Mr. J. Wright has judged some of my produce in 
close competition by his S. and D. system, and I had no cause to be 
dissatisfied, and I have had to judge cottage gardens by the method 
advocated by “ Judex,” and from what I heard with satisfaction to 
all the competitors. The system advocated by “ Judex ” seems to me 
to offer a very good foundation on which to build a new code, and 
whether we make the denominators marks and points or shillings and 
pence is immaterial; perhaps the latter phrase would be the. more 
popular. The main reason in my opinion for this new code is the 
desirability of judging, as “ Judex ” says on page 148, each species on 
its own intrinsic, dietetic, and commercial worth, and the only way 
to do this is by different standards of value. This could be done by 
using the enclosed card, not necessarily for publication or for leaving 
on the collections for the use of tne general public, but simply to be 
lifted by the secretary or those in charge as soon as the judges have 
filled them up, and kept for future use in case of dispute, though I 
believe once in use they would soon be left on the collections. You will' 
notice the enclosed is simply an addition to the system as seen on page 
149 by “ Judex,” and could be enlarged or reduced in its scope as the 
different societies thought proper or as their funds would admit. 
Perhaps I went a step too far when I included Mr. Temple’s name 
amongst those favourable to the change, but he does not condemn it; he 
only says he would require special tuition before he could do complete 
justice by the S. D. system of judging. Our young judges require special 
tuition before they can do complete justice by any system; why not 
learn the new if considered better than the old?—S. A. 
[The card mentioned is not identical with but similar to others that 
