Ferns That Can Be Grown Successfully Indoors 
SOME VARIETIES THAT ARE WELL ADAPTED FOR USE AS HOUSE PLANTS- 
THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND CULTURAL DIRECTIONS—SIX OF THE BEST FORMS 
by F. F. Rockwell 
Photographs by Chas. Jones and N. R. Graves 
W HILE the majority of cultivated 
ferns are not adapted to house cul¬ 
ture with its many hardships, they are so 
beautiful that the few which are suitable 
for that purpose are among the most pop¬ 
ular of all plants used for decoration in¬ 
doors. In some respects they are more de¬ 
sirable than any other plants for adding to 
the living-rooms that touch of cheeriness 
which only a green and living thing can 
give. In the first place they are beautiful 
from one end of the year to the other — no 
ups and downs, flowering and barren 
periods such as many of the house plants 
have. They keep within bounds, so that 
even a fine large specimen does not demand 
too much room; they last with care for 
years, becoming increasingly beautiful and 
valuable, instead of growing lanky or lop¬ 
sided, or “going by” as so many of the 
other plants do after the vigor of their 
youth is spent. Ferns are not easily dam¬ 
aged or broken; moreover, and what is one 
of the greatest points in their favor as 
house plants, they do not require an abun¬ 
dance of sunlight. 
It is rather difficult to say in just what 
points the great beauty of a well-grown fern lies. It attains, of 
course, the acme of gracefulness of form; in both the fronds 
themselves and in the shape and arrangement of the individual 
leaflets, Nature has not produced anything more artistic. The 
shades of color, too, are most pleasing. And there is a sugges¬ 
tion of freshness and springtime about ferns. But even these 
things fail to explain altogether why it is that while most people 
have their preference as far as other flowers are concerned every¬ 
one admires a well-grown fern. 
Ferns may be used in a variety of ways. The large single 
plant with its grace- 
f u 1 recurved o r 
drooping fronds 
placed on a small 
stand is perhaps the most common sight. 
But they have their place along with the 
plants in the windows, as decorations for the 
center or dining-tables, and even as grace¬ 
ful climbers—the so-called asparagus ferns 
being suitable for this purpose. 
The types of ferns that can be handled 
successfully in the house are several; and 
yet we seldom see more than one or two 
in the possession of the same person. This 
is largely due to the fact, I imagine, that 
generally they are not offered for sale by 
the retail florist until they have attained a 
pretty good size, and command a pretty 
good price—fifty cents to a dollar and a 
half—so that one does not feel like indulg¬ 
ing in a very large assortment. It is possi¬ 
ble, however, to get them in the smaller 
sizes, and with proper conditions for keep¬ 
ing them—without which it is folly to at¬ 
tempt to have them at all—they can be easily 
grown on to larger size, with no further 
expense than an occasional flower pot of a 
larger size. 
The most widely known type of fern is 
without doubt that represented by the Bos¬ 
ton fern and its many relations. The Bos¬ 
ton fern, introduced not so many years ago, is a form of the 
old sword fern (Nephrolepis exaltata), with longer and more 
graceful fronds; but while its hardiness and general beauty won 
it at once a place of universal popularity, newer forms, in the last 
few years, have largely replaced it. One of the hardiest of these 
is the dwarf Boston or Scott fern ( N. Scottii ), which resembles 
the Boston closely except that it is smaller, both in size and in 
the fronds, and of a more compact and bushy growth. This fern 
is also distinctive for the beautiful light green color of its fronds. 
Still smaller than Scottii, and for that reason more valuable as a 
fern for center- 
pieces, pans or use 
with other plants, is 
the new Miniature 
Certain ferns are pleasing table decora¬ 
tions when suitable receptacles are used 
im 
HI 
is 
bG 
sSH 
Nephrolepis Whitmani is a very desirable 
ostrich plume type 
The adiantums, or maidenhair ferns, are to be 
had in great variety 
Among the attractive drooping sorts is Adian 
turn Farlepense 
( 35 ) 
