^5^ 



"sweetest" of all green things — it affords a pleasing 

 contrast. The latter is not only colour-perfect, but 

 exquisite in form also. 



We now come to the Hart's-tongue, undoubtedly the 

 most variable of all Ferns, but the configuration of many 

 of our varieties is no more like the tongue of a hart, or any 

 other animal, than a cow is like a cucumber ! And this 

 has all been brought about by variation. What a contrast, 

 then, between, Say, Kelway's tiny densum and the magnificent 

 frills of Wills' Crispmn graude ! And what a host of inter- 

 mediates ! 



Starting at the very bottom in point of size, this little 

 densiun is a mass of mossy growths, each tiny division 

 dividing again and again until finality is reached, and a 

 plant is produced which rather resembles a moss than a 

 Fern. This little gem requires rather close treatment, other- 

 wise it would not develop those wonderful marginal bulbs 

 by which it can be easily propagated. Another remarkable 

 variety is Barnes' diinorphum^ which bears two kinds of 

 fronds, and thus varies from nearly normal to linear fronds, 

 each with flat spreading handsome crests. I confess I was 

 sceptical when I first saw this Fern in Mr. Druery's col- 

 lection, but now I have " nae doots " about it, as I have 

 experimented with it and proved its dimorphic character. 

 Cvistatuui proper, in many forms, is a good variety, while 

 c. Bavvaud carries the cresting much further, and C vivi- 

 pavuiii (O'Kelly) is proliferous as well. Then we have in the 

 sagittate forms some very good things in conjunction with 

 other characters, and culminating, perhaps, in gvandiceps. 

 The capitate iorms — oi which graiidiceps is one — are all worth 

 growing, and in this connection I must mention one I am 

 pleased to call capitatum Green, which is generally regarded 

 with some favour. There are many others — lacevatuiHy 

 spivale, miivicatnm, ramosuni, ramosissimum Green — of course 

 every specialist has his fancies — pevafevens, tvi-pevaf evens, 

 and so on almost ad infinitwn. But I think it will be con- 

 ceded that the most lovely departure from the normal form 



