6 HARDY FERNS 
Edward Gillett, Southwick, Mass. 
Those who wander among the northern woodlands soon come to know the Maidenhair 
Fern (Adiuntum pedutum) which grows in moist, shaded locations. When once established it 
increases quite rapidly. 
necessary to furnish, for many of our Ferns, better conditions than are found in tlie 
ordinary garden. W'herc luxuriant growths of Ferns arc found one will note that it is 
usually on a well-drained iiillside in the shade or mountain slope, where leaf-mould lias 
accumulated for many years, alfording an excellent soil condition. After forty years of 
experience in growing Ferns, I have come to the conclusion that they require extremelv 
good drainage. This is especially the case with the smaller sorts such as Ebony Spleen- 
wort, Maidenhair Spleenwort and the W’oodsias, those kinds that are usually found 
growing on dills. In planting F-'erns it is well to prepare the soil by making it very fine, 
then adding, if practicable, leaf-mould so as to make the soil very light and porous. If 
the planter does not have at his disposal a sloping piece of ground and is anxious to 
have FTtiis in his garden, it will be well to raise the bed 2 to 3 inches in which they arc 
planted. This will tend to produce the drainage conditions necessary. 
In planting the small rock Ferns, almost pure leaf-mould or peat should be used. 
This class of herns is, as a rule, found growing in such soils and while they can be made 
to struggle along and in some cases give fairly good results in ordinary garden soil, they 
will do much better if furnished the conditions as above described. 
Uses. Our I lardy Ferns, being so varied in their characteristics, can be adapted to 
a wide^ variety of purposes. All of them can be used as specimens in the Hardy Fern 
collection; niany can be used for edging walks in a shaded rock-garden; while others 
are best suited for massed^ plantings. It is impossible to go into detail concerning the 
possibilities wrapped up in each particular variety, yet I solicit correspondence of 
prospective purchasers and shall be glad to give information concerning any Darticular 
variety. 
Tirne to plant. Hardy Ferns can be planted in either the spring or fall. If thev arc 
planted late in the autumn it is well to give them a mulch of leaves. This giyes them 
protection from freezing and thawing and it also tends to retain the moisture in the soil 
until the new rootlets have started to grow. 
How deep to plant. Doubtless many amateurs are not successful in growing Ferns, 
I fact that they place them too deep in the ground. Those varieties, such as 
the C.hristmas I^ern or Iivergreen Wood Fern, which grow from a crown should not be 
planted below the surface; the crown should be left exposed to the air. In case Ferns 
go-ow from underground root-stalks, such as the Beech Fern, they should be planted 
just below the surface with not inore than half an inch of earth to cover them. Too 
deep planting proves fatal, especially where a long, wet season follows the planting which 
causes the crowns or buds to rot. 
A Reference Table of Hardy Native Ferns. 
Anyone interested in growing our hardy New England Ferns should send for our 
Kefercnce able. It gives the height, position, soil, distance apart and the depth to 
plant each kind. ' 
