Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-03
Collecting Ferns.
TART Amateur.

The winter season during the prev a,enca Of
mild weather Is unqnestionaoly the most suit
able time for removing ferns The next best
time Is the early spring, Just as the ne " rronds
are ABOUT TO commence tntir growth But those
who are not experienced collectors might at
sucn seasons often ffud difficulty ia recoy-
niZtpg some species. because OF the fact that
the parts which afford the most easy means OF
recognition-the fronds-are dead The eyer.
green species mostly retain their fronds all TIA
WINTER and would. therefore, be easy To find
But IL is not so. OF course, with the deciduous
species, which Include the most fragile O. Jae
lerbaceous kinds.
Ferns. however, are SO hardy, that rot ONLY
Ia winter and early spring, out throu yhout
sp1iDg, summer and autumn they can be up-
Iooteo and transplanted with but little mi ry,
&c! ond perhaps the Disagreement OF one or { 40
OF the growing fronds. Even this miulm lm OF
Injury may be avoided by very careful handling
and, should IL be Inflicted. the plant Will not
fronds.
We may look upon fern collecting. therer,re
as q ce.ightful pursuit. which can be folio sci
al tie year round. But IL must be remembered
that success In removing terms from their hap-
itais duhng the summer, especially during the
prevalence OF hot weather, viii more depead
upon the method which Is adopted AMI upon
Tie care which is exercised during the opera
to1 Than Will be the csse during the winter or
early spring.
Where fern collecting tour is decided on. the
collector should be provided with a small gar
cen fork, a stout chisel a hammer a strong
cias ped knife. q uowtI, and a covered basker or
01er receptacle for carrying the ferns Sncu d
lt lie determined TO hunt for very large SD ec,.
me rs, II would be necessary 10 add spade to
the implements named But In such a case
spt cial means OF conveyance would need TO be
provided from Some point, as near as possible
10 the locality from which the ferns are 60 De
taken; and indeed such conveyance would be
c. Srable whenever fern huAung on a large
scale Is 10 be lid llged In. In an orclna v
way. however: II will be found that the I'm
PIGMENTS nee ded Tor removing from their b 40
iiats the smaller and rarer ferns can b. conye-
Diently carlie0 in q small tourists bag slung
on the back OF the pedestrian collector; and In
the same convenient way &c viii be fouLd DID,
sible, by careful packing, TO carry a good nu n
bfr OF plants Whenever possible n is de-
sirable 10 take up the Specimens. sith sufficient
earth 10 prevent disturbance OF tae roots.
But In any case it is nee assary that every p,,
BILE portion or the roo. should oe tak "a 10.
wen 10 The ultimate fioroas rootlets. THIS o.
Ject Can &c secured by carefully digging at a
safe distance round asd underbe lfn the root
stock OF The plant. Nothing so mu n Or 1motes
TIE rapid recovery OF plant after removal as
up the entire mass OF roots and root,
lets. 1t must be remembered that &c
has often taken the rootstock O long time
they grew have penetrated into ali the sur.
sounding interstices OF the soil or rock from
which the plant derives its sustenance. III,
therefore, the work OF months Is ruthlessly un-
done 10 moment by the tnoughtless tearing
up CT the plant without its mass OF root-feed-
ers It cannot be expected that the same vigor
as was before exhibited. Yet many fern col.
lectors On getting out OF the earth or rock by a
sharp pull. OF the hand what looks to them Ike
an entire root are surprised ana disappointed
on finding that the earliest fronds thrown up
under cultivation have sadly dwfndied fro "a
their natural size. Even when TO all appear
aIce there is a sufficient mass OF rSotlets
secured IL often happens that considerable
number are left unperceived In the earth.
1t is especially In the removal OF the rock
usually done to the plants. Most OF the rock.
growing species have very abundant, wiry,
horous rootlets, which penetrate In very re-
neighboIhood of the rootstock. 1t is often
made subject OF complaint by fern collectors,
that the rock growing species are more Diff
ton But the difficulty arises chiefly from The
circumstance which has already been alluded
to. No doubt 1t is often q matter OF difficulty
TO uproot the rock loving FERNS and ft Is for
this work that hammer and chisel are neces-
sary, 50 that by the careful undermining and
removal OF the adjacent portions OF rock, the
crown, lootstock, and rootlets or the specimen
desired may be got out unharmed. A little
practice, however, II It be joined TO a careful
and loving study or the plants peculiarities Will
soen give the master, IN this Kind OF work.
FERNS are got out from their places OF growth,
damp moss or other moist ma'erial should bs
wrapped securely round their rootstocks aud
rootets. La this way they can ps conveniently
carried TO considerable distance without any
covering TO the fronos although II the air be
very hot, Cry. and sultry. the fronds, II In
tended 10 remain on the plant, maSt-esoeclal-
~ those OF the most fragile or heroaceous
kfDdS-be kept under shelter as they would be
II put into covered basket or other conven-
lent covered receptacle. la removing the
larger kinds OF ferns, however, during the
summer, II may often be found convenient
especially where room for putulg the
specimens has TO be economNed-to
cut on all, or at least the largest
OF the fronds, and to wrap In moss.
or keep covered merely the rootstocks and root
LET'S When planted In the garden or other
place OF cultivation. new fronds, as we have
already said, win, II under favorable conditions,
speedily be thrown up 70 supply the place OF
those removed. Where a tour Is made ia search
OF small specimens OF ferns, It IL best. after
wrapping moes-which is generally 70 be found
10 the nelghOorhood OF ferns-around each little
root, to pack t0gether-roOt sade by hide with
T00t-the whole OF the specimens II moist
wrapper be then placed round them. they VII
keep fresh for days and even for weeks Il oc-
casionaly looked &C and spyinkled with water.
In collecting the rock loving species OF ferc& &c
Is desirable when possible 70 detach q Nttle
norton the rock. TO avoid