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DeceMBeR 15, 1905 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
5 
‘from ten days to three weeks, according to the 
variety, the surface of the pan will assume a 
“green, mossy appearance, This is produced by 
the prothalli, which as they become larger will 
be seen to be small heart-shaped bodies, These 
in due course produce sexual organs—the anther 
idium and archegonium—which correspond to 
and perform the same functions as stamens and 
-pistils do in the higher orders of plant life. “As 
the antherozold (or what might be called the 
pollen part) ripens it breaks up and is carried 
-around by the influence of air or water, and in 
this way is conveyed to the archegonium through 
which it reaches the oospore and fertilizes it. 
The difference of the time needed for the 
Maturing of the sexual organs of the different 
‘Varieties would require to be systematically 
‘Studied by microscope to give a fair chance of 
bringing about a cross, but this is hardly within 
‘the sphere of the ordinary gardener who has to 
plod along by rule of thumb and take his 
-chances of striking it by accident; no doubt 
‘many of the varieties now cultivated have been 
sthus produced. 
The crested and variegated forms are mostly 
«the results of sporting, which is the only other 
‘means by which new varieties are produced. 
If the spore have been thinly sown it may not 
‘be necessary to transplant until they begin to 
‘throw up the little fronds, though they gener- 
ally require transplanting before that stage is 
reached. 
For this transplanting shallow flats are the 
‘most suitable, a loose, sandy compost being 
provided. They should be lifted in small bunches 
on a wooden label which has been rounded and 
thinned down on one end for the purpose. The 
back of the label is pressed down into soil 
‘sufficiently to make a little hollow receptacle, 
and when withdrawn from below, leaves the 
little clumps in proper position without having 
to be touched by hand; they being of a very 
fragile nature the least touch will bruise them. 
‘Some don’t believe in watering at this stage, but 
Imake it a practice to sprinkle them lightly 
with water after transplanting, and find no 
bad results from it. I always, however, nse 
water at a tempera’ure of about 65 degrees. . 
‘Covering with glass will be necessary for 
some time after transplanting, but the 
covering should be gradually removed as the 
little fronds gatherstrength. Shading must be 
strictly attended to through all this stage of 
their growth, as a few minutes’ sunshine would 
work irreparable damage. They must also 
never be allowed to suffer from dryness. 
When the plants begin to get crowded they 
should be potted up into thumb pots, using a 
compost of loam, leaf mold and sand, in about 
equal portions. ‘The plants need not be 
singled out individually, but if potted four or 
five together will make serviceable plants much 
quicker, For subsequent pottings (which should 
be given just as soon as the pots they are in 
well filled with roots) a rather heavier, moder- 
ately enriched soil should be employed, 
Raising from spores is by far the most con- 
venient way of keeping up a supply of small 
ferns, the demand for which seems to be rapidly 
on the increase, they being extensively employed 
for filling fern pans, small vases, etc., for house 
decoration, The demand for certain classes of 
plants or flowers is apt to be controlled to a 
greater or less extent by fads or fashion, but the 
fern pan seems to me to be one of those things 
that is going to be lightly cast aside, for when 
my lady buys a nice pair of ferns she knows she 
has something that is going to last, and look well 
for some time, whereas she can spend as much 
money for a bunch of flowers which to-day is 
and to-morrow is cast into the ash barrel. So, to 
maintain my lady’s interest the chief consider- 
ation in the selection of varieties snould be their 
standing qualities, ‘his combined with grace- 
fulness of frond and compactness of habit gives 
an ideal fern for the purpose in hand; stiff heavy 
leaved varieties should be avoided, If I were to 
enumerate all the varieties suitable for the pur- 
pose I have no doubt they would fill a good- 
sized book. But | am sorry to say that the 
varieties generally met with are not numerous, 
a few seem to be run on, and few of the growers 
seem to make a break t2 get away from the old 
rut. I am sure it would pay the grower who 
would have enterprise enough to keep on pro- 
curing and trying varieties, for there are hun- 
dreds of old ones to pick from which are worthy 
of a trial. > 
About six months from time of sowing is 
usnally required to give useful sized plants in a 
_ the health of the plants. 
- atmosphere is not congenial to their well being, 
night temperature of about 60/degrees and a 
day temperature of 75. In stronger heat they 
could be grown in shorter time, but it does not 
pay to rush them as they would not be so com- 
pact and bushy, and would, of course, be much 
softer, Successful batches should be sown as 
required, as they soon become too large, and if 
confined for any length of time in small pots 
they assume a stunted and sickly appearance, 
Where larger plants are wanted they should 
be kept moved up as they need it and receive as 
little check as possible, as the size of plants doet 
not depend so much on age or size of crown as is 
does on length of frond, and to procure this the 
chief agencies are intensive culture and quick 
growth. Most ferns can be materially assisted 
the application of liquid manures, but these 
should not be applied unless the pots are pretty 
well filled with roots, otherwise the residue not 
utilizad by the plants would have a tendency to 
clog the soil and cause sourness, 4 
Most ferns adapt themselves to propagation 
by division, but this is a slow method with some 
and when they come readily from spores need 
hardly be practiced, Some, notably the nephro- 
lepis, can be propagated very rapidry by off- 
sets, and some, notably the Adiantum Farleyense, 
can only be propagated by divisions of the 
crown. This latter variety is one of the most 
beautiful ferns we have, though one that is rather 
difficult to grow. One of the chief causes of 
failure with it is the lack of heat in Winter. 
It requires a temperature of not less than 65 
degrees to keep it growing even slowly. If sub- 
jected to a lower temperature than this the 
plants become stunted and it is next to impossible 
to get them back into a healthy condition, 
even with the higher temperature of Summer, 
‘without breaking them up and beginning all 
over again. 
All ferns require shade to a greater or less 
extent, but it is a very common mistake to have 
the shade too heavy. This causes drawni-up, 
weakly growth, and in a good many cases spoils 
the individual character of the fronds. Further 
than to prevent this shade is unnecessary. Fresh 
air also plays an important part in maintaining 
Although a’ dry 
nevertheless fresh air is necessary to maintain 
Rhododendrons. 
Maxéh’s 
Taek 
PAPERS 
_Paperhangins: 
March, 
Pirie St., opp. Hindmarsh square 
, Phone 125 _ 
