The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-06-05
AN ESSAY ON FERNS
(By the Editor)


While people are interested in &
lot of other things some keep asking
about ferns and how to become 6
possessor Of them, where to FIND
them, how to transplant them anG
how to keep them growing Many
people go out to find ferns and re.
turn without any. Some find dwarf
ferns and transplant them and won
der why they do not grow large
1t is a matter of breed.
Most of the ferns that are used
to decorate yards in this valley come
from the lavabeds. Some come from
the canyons and some from the cold
springs, but they are generally hard
er to raise than lava ferns.
The best time to transplant any
kind Of plant life is when it is dor
mant. When the foliage has fallen
and before they start to grow again
is the logical time to move the plant.
The reason is that while growth is
at it's full activity, while foliage has
to be supplied with sap and growth
continued, it is pretty hard for the
root system to keep up the supply
if it is disturbed and separated from
its food supply-the moist soil. This
applies to any kind of vegetation,
and people who dig up plants in the
growing season and set them some
where else and dab some water on
them enthusiastically when they
are wilted, need not wonder if the
plant dies.
Most of the ferns brought from
the lavas are brought by picnic
parties who have a good time camp
ing and then tear out some ferns
and lay them in the vehicle when
ready to go home. Under such con-
ditions the fern usually gets taken
up without much of it's roots, and
that cripples it. People do better
when they plan carefully and take
suitable tools along.
The best time to move ferns is
in April before they begin to grow
tops, or while the tops are small.
In April they are harder to find I'M
less one knows what to look for.
When the tops die down in the fall
and winter, the leaves wither and
not much is left but the stems. They
fall over or are mashed down by the
SHOWS of winter, and in the spring
they are visible to those who look
carefully for something like old
straws That is the first sign of
the fern. They are found only in
deep crevices where there is some
soil, say a foot deep and filling the
crevice so that it affords a fiat sur
face of few inches or a foot or
two in the crevice. Ferns do not
grow we'll in a crevice less than ten
or twelve feet deep-they need the
shade, GOODNESS, and the moisture.
Crevices of that kind are found only
where the lavas are very rough and
broken, so the forming parties seek
the rough places and watch for
something like old straws at the
bottom of the deeper crevfces.
The fern digger carries an irrigat-
ing shovel and finds a way to get
into and out of the crevice, and as
he gets down to Investigating among
the old strawy looking stems he finds
punches of fibrous stuff the size of
biscuits or small loaves of bread,
with brown or greenish knuckles on
the top side. These are the places
where the growth will come out, the
stalks or ''fronds'' as they are called. |
The germ of the frond forms in the
fall and winter and in the spring 1t
unfolds, sheds its brown husk and
then unwinds somewhat like a tape, |
the center of the knuckle finally form
ing the end or tip of the frOnd, the
top of the stalk.
The best ferns in the lavas are
about two feet high, rare ones two
and a half or three feet when fully
grown, but most of them are less
than two feet. They are found In
two forms, one that spreads out like
a palm tree and one that grows tall
like a vase and as one looks down
at it from above, it has the central
opening surrounded by the fronds
making a perfect vase shape. These
are generally considered the most
beautiful.
In digging the ferns for trans
planting, the digger should try to
get all of the roots and as much OF
The native soil as he can, making
budget of from five to fifteen pounds.
The roots are very fine and some
what like a goats beard. A fern that
grows against rocks is likely to have
l one-sided root system and be weak
10 those that grow a few inches from
he side wall of. the crevice are most
likely to be strong of root system.