Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-13
INDOOR FERNERIEs.
How to Select Plants and Transfer Them
From Woods 20 House.

Nlom WOODS 20 MUSE.
Garden Magazine.
The dry heat of our homes In winter is
not at all favorable for the growth Of
native ferns, which by right should rest
at least four OF five months Of the year.
A few species, however, break the nat
ural order of things and may be kept
growing indoors with fairly good results.
The cheerful little polypody is always
pleasant TO look upon. 1t is astonishing
how this rock-clinging species holds its
own in any situation. 1t is especially at
tractive grown in birch bark baskets, ac-
companied by herb robert, with its hap
PLY contrasting foliage.
p As an all-around fern the ebony spleen
wort (Asplenium platyneuron) takes
prominent rank. My plant was taken
from the pine woods in July, and a year
later had not materially changed The
only noticeable difference is the loss of
one or two of the old fertile fronds and
a profusion Of new sterile ones cluster
ing about the base.
The secret of success in this indoor
cultivation is the stimulation of natural
environment Of the root growth. Thin
bits of limestone OF other rock must be
placed against the fern roots, and moss
and earth enough added to hold them in
place. This is the one imperative de-
mand Of the ebony spleenwort have
never taken up a specimen whose roots
were not resting on or against or tucked
under stone of some sort. Aspleniums
as a rule are hmestone-loving ferns, but
the ebony spleenwort is sometimes found
on certain slate formations.
An tfnucuo1lr- ana n1ont 90 fho dainty
maidenhair spleenwort (asplenium tri-
cho-manesl has been growing for years
like an ordinary ported plant. The nat
ural habitat is much the same as that Of
the ebony spleenwort, but / have seen fine
plants luxuriating in deep leaf mold,
which accounts for the success of the
specimen in question.
The walking leaf lCamplosorus rhizo-
phyllns) prefers a rocky foothold, but
grows remarkably well indoors with an
apology of mineral matter beneath its
roots. It is an exceptionally interesting
fern because of its unique habit of
growth. Spores are not only waited
hither and thither by ftful winds, but
the long, tapering fronds roofing at the
apices throw up other progressive plants.
This is the tramp of the fern family
the sole member of the group that lit
orally walks a crack in the rock The
root growth of the walking leaf seems to
be a matter Of circumstance, for the
species thrives equally well in the out
door world, with much OF little neither
development.
For cultural purposes full-sized speci-
mems growing in thin moss are to be
avoided; they can be made TO grow in
doors OF outside, but it saves time TO Sc
lect plants from earth-flled crevices or
from thick sheets often found on the top
OF at the bottom Of rocks.
The staying qualities Of the fronds are
Unprecedented I have in mind one re-
markedly fine specimen with adherent
plantlets, all carefully taken up and
properly placed on the platter with moss.
New growth appeared, other fronds root
ed at the apices, but the original fronds
We're in good condition for two years. A
few weeks only Of this time were spent
in the cellar for enforced rest.