Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1911-01-05

Probably more women come to grief
over their ferneries each winter than
over any other kind Of indoor plants.
1t is discouraging to pay several dol
lars to a florist to fill the fern dish
only to have it turn yellow, If not die,
in few weeks.
The trouble lies in two things, first
the kind of ferns attempted to be
grown, next in not growing them I'M
der proper conditions.
If you attempt to raise most Of the
maiden hairs indoors you are doomed
to disappointment The hardy ferns
that thrive in shady corners Of the
woods do not take well to transplant
ing into hot houses, however much
you may read to the contrary.
There are enough varieties Of ferns,
however, to have a fine display in
your living rooms In maiden hair
ferns, or adiantums, the variety that
will stand heat and dryness best is
A. croweanum. Another good one in
doors is A. capillus veneris, while A.
caudatum, a creeping variety Of
maiden hair, has been grown success
fully in a hanging basket indoors.
Professionals will tell you that
adiantum farleyense, which is the
finest Of all the maiden hairs, cannot
be grown out of a green house. 1t is
tender, but have seen it raised in a
family living room and flourish finely.
It cannot stand intense heat or
changes of temperature.
Among the most satisfactory ferns
for indoors either in fern dishes or
separate pots, are the various Boston
ferns Among the newer varieties Of
this fern, which is known as nephro-
Iepis Bostoniensis, is the feathery
Whitman and the dwarf Scott, which
is especially good for windows or
ferneries.
Various of the pteris ferns are suit
able for house culture. One of the
loveliest is pteris Victoriae, with sill
very variegated leaves. Somewhat
harder is pteris Wilsoni, which has
odd crested fronds.
A fine fern for indoors is the holly
fern, or eyrtomium falcatum, which
has broad, glossy foliage quite unlike
the ordinary ferns.
A good fern for hanging is platy-
cerium alcicorne, or stag horn fern.
These roots feed on air and when
planted should be hung In warm
room and kept wet They can be
grown in baskets or shallow pans and
do best when potted in rough peat
and sphagnum.
In the care of ferns the chief thing
is not too much dry heat. Keep the
room at a moderate temperature and
on mild days give outside air by open
ing windows in an adjoining room.
Never let cold air blow directly on
ferns.
Many a fern dish is ruined by the
maid opening the dining room window
over them to air the room each
It is little trouble to move
the pots into a warmer atmosphere.
Ferns like a rich soil, one of good
loan with leaf mould and sand is
best. The pots must have drainage,
as soggy roots will kill every time
Use pots large enough to keep the |
ferns from getting root bound and |
quickly exhausting the nourishment |
In the soil.
Faults in watering is the chief diff |
hculty in fern care. They like plenty |
at the roots, but must not be kept !
soggy any more than they can be |
allowed to dry out Do not spray the I
especially of maiden hairs, as
It scorches them and turns them yel-
low.
Unless your house is very hot the
amount of water given to ferns can be
from November to February
as during these three winter months
many ferns rest
Few ferns like hot sunlight, so keep
slightly back from the window and
where the direct rays of the sun do
not fall on them.
The chief dangers to fern growth
IS violent changes Of temperature,
soggy, sour earth-from imperfect
irainsge-and wetting Of the leaves.
In growing Boston ferns, cut off all
he runners and allow only two or
.hree crowns to a plant otherwise
he pot will soon be filed with crown
md the foliage will suffer.
The chief enemy Of ferns is mealy
,ug. Keep a close watch for this and
'ick of with fingers and kill them.
Red spider and thrips also attack
erns, but can be fought by fumigat-
ng with tobacco smoke. This must
,e carefully done, as too strong
moking win ruin the plants.
Most professional gardeners to tho
contrary, pots OF maiden hair should
,e stood outdoors in summer In some Il
heltered angle Of the porch or In a
hady nook where wind does not get 1