Did you feel them? Are they like dried paper or do they have some substance to them? Chances are they are almost weightless and desicated so there is nothing alive to plant.

On the other hand, if they are at least somewhat firm and have some flesh to them they might be alive.

the answer is fall for spring bloom. But if they are fleshy plant in spring rather than waiting any longer.

Bulbs that old are almost certainly toast. Even under highly controlled conditions it is not recommended to store bulbs any longer than a single growing season. And ferns are not bulbs but probably offered as bare root starts. Without moisture and light, these too will be non-viable. Save your time and effort and throw them all away. Start with fresh stock this fall (hardy ferns can be planted at any time they are available for sale).

Yeah, they are all papery. Didn't do more than look at them before, but when I felt them they fell apart like an ancient artifact!

Makes sense, bulbs are not seeds... and now I know - ferns don't have bulbs!

I'm not going to throw them away though! They're headed for the compost pile... they'll be "good for something"!