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of Moly's P. ang. pulcnerrimnm variegatunif which is quite 

 unique as a permanently aposporous and symmetrically 

 variegated British Fern. On a second shelf in front of this 

 one is a row of ninety potted seedlings of P. actil. pulchevri' 

 nmiii, many of which have declared themselves as future 

 " gracillimums," while among the rest are many promising 

 foliose forms. This lot, and those in pans mentioned above^ 

 undoubtedly represent one of the most remarkable batches 

 of British Fern gems ever obtained. The opportunity of 

 watching their development may be ranked as one of the 

 highest rewards a fern lover can desire for his toil and trouble. 

 At this point we feel we should have been wiser to have 

 headed our notes " A Shelf in Our Fernery " rather than 

 as entitled, so much has been omitted in this necessarily 

 limited glance, particularly as the plants outside remain to 

 be considered. Stepping, then, into the open, we see before 

 us one oblong bed containing a jungle of long-established 

 forms, and in the shadow of the Fernery and the partial 

 shadow of the west wall a similar jungle extends almost 

 the whole length of the garden. Further on, and entirely 

 unshaded, are two wide beds recently established, and in 

 the centre of the lawn there is an oval bed with a large 

 white Lilac tree in the centre, under the shade of which a 

 group of very choice plumose and other Shield Ferns are 

 doing marvellously well. The old-established specimens 

 would appear to be handicapped by the profuse growth of 

 self-sown Primroses, Scillas and, truth to tell, an abundant 

 supply of weeds, and amid which may be discerned much 

 of the debris of old fronds of previous seasons. In point 

 of fact, however, we find that the soil being thus covered 

 forms a great protection against drought, and the very 

 robust character of the Ferns shows clearly enough not 

 only that they can hold their own, but derive an advantage 

 from their untended environment. Even Lastvea montana 

 grows vigorously in the full sun, L. dilatata and other 

 Lastreas attain full size, as do many of the Athyria, while 

 Shield Ferns thrive as if in a Devonian Combe. 



