95 



forty miles away ; but, from seeing these few plants, I made sure I 

 should succeed in finding it here in greater profusion. I was disap- 

 pointed. I searched everywhere, into every crevice and every likely " 

 place, Occasionaly I wOuld come across an overhanging ledge, and 

 find my old friend, the Trichomanes^ but no Venus-hair. After a 

 week's diligent search^ I abandoned the field and repaired to Point 

 Burnside. 



Point Burnside is a station on the Cincinnati Southern R, R., at 

 the head of the navigable waters of the Cumberland River. The 

 south fork of the Cumberland joins the main river at this point. The 

 river is not so wide as at Cumberland Falls, but much deeper. I 

 found I had got into a very different geological region from that at 

 the Falls. The bed of the river and the range of chffs on each side 

 were limestone, but the high ranges were all capped with sandstone. 

 On the lower cliffs I found in great abundance, beautiful specimens 

 of Pellaea atropurpurea, and, to my surprise and delight, Asplenium 

 parviduvi J but I was anxious to visit the cascade, the reputed home 

 of the maidenhair. 



Getting into a canoe or dug-out, and with the assistance of a guide, 

 I paddled down stream, about half a mile. I got out and walked 

 towards the water-fall, and in a moment was perfectly entranced. I 

 wondered if it was a dream or a reality. Could it be possible that 

 this lovely fern should be growing in such great profusion. Yes, 

 there it was, having probably been growing for thousands of years, 

 unheard of and unsung. Imagine a hill side torn asunder by some 

 unknown force, forming precipitous crags and deep cave-bke recesses, 

 with huge masses of rocks lying at the base, and numerous streams 

 of the clearest cold water, rushing in every direction, and all over- 

 grown with mosses, liverworts, maidenhair and the bulbous bladder- 

 fern. Every rock, every crevice, was just one great mass of Adian- 

 tu?n. In the dark hollows, where the sun seldom penetrated, the 

 fronds were thin and delicate, with leaflets broad and fringed like those 

 of A. Farleyense of the greenhouses. The main cascade is about eighty 

 feet high, and over it was pouring quite a stream of water. The rim 

 or border of this cliff was a mass of fern fronds, some about 30 

 inches in length from the rootstock, hanging down away out of reach 

 of the destroyer, if he should ever find this place. With some diffi- 

 culty I ascended the top of the hill, as I wanted to see where all the 

 water was com'ing from. The highest point is about three hundred 

 feet above the river bed. A little from the top my guide showed me 

 a cave out of which the water was flowing. The mouth of this cave 

 measured about twelve feet in width, forming an arch of about six 

 feet at the highest point. At the present time the water was making 

 a pretty swift stream. The ground is somewhat flattish a little above 

 the cascade, causing the water to distribute itself in different direc- 

 tions before falling, thus making the beautiful series of falls, as one 

 looks up from below. The Adiantim is growing in great profusion 

 from the cave mouth down to the base of the cliff, and immense bunches 

 of it are found on the flattish plateau immediately above the fall In 

 fact, it is growing in every spot where this cave water reaches it. 1 he 

 whole rock is encrusted with a thick coat of carbonate of lime, and 



