



з2 BRITISH FERNS 
and about a hundred plants resulted. As these developed it was ` 
noticed that in about a score of them, the fronds appeared to be 
much slenderer than in the rest, and particular care being paid 
to these as they grew on, they assumed more and more remarkable 
forms, until eventually they became extremely handsome specimens, 
on somewhat varied lines, of an entirely different type, the 
parental half-inch pinnules being in some cases nearly three inches 
long, and the fronds being thus of almost hair-like tenuity, while 
several plants displayed expanded tips to these subdivisions 
somewhat akin to tassels. A glance at Figs. тт, 12, and 13 will 
give a far better idea than any words of the marvellous difference 
between parent and progeny originating at one bound. It is 
interesting to note that the rest of the batch consisted of fairly true 
replicas of the parental form, and two or three plants which ap- 
proached the normal P. angulare rather than P. aculeatum. There 
is only one of the batch which is fairly intermediate between the 
parental type and the “ gracillimum ” type, while another in Mr. 
Green's possession has varied in a different direction, viz. in that 
of the beautiful P. angulares of Jones and Fox, above described. 
The mere possibility of obtaining such results as these by sowing 
from thoroughbreds should be sufficient to discourage unsystematic 
sowing from inferior forms. Араг! from these exceptional cases 
there are a great many in which great enhancement of the original 
type of the wild “ sport ” has been attained by careful selection, 
as may be judged by the “ raised ” varieties which figure in our list 
appended to each species. There is, however, one warning in 
connection with this subject which should be borne in mind, and 
that is that if a seedling displays faults, it should be destroyed, 
as should all inferior types when they declare their character. 
We have seen collections embracing valuable plants absolutely 
ruined because the tender-hearted raiser would give inferior seedlings 
а chance, and as such are often more robust growers than their 
superiors, as a consequence a jungle of mongrels has resulted, in 
which the true forms were practically smothered out of existence. 
The successful Fern-raiser must, in short, be а flinty-hearted Herod 
as regards ineligible innocents, or he will rue his clemency later. 
As further details may be welcome regarding the question of 
Hybridization and Crossing, we refer to the next chapter in this 
connection. 

