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extent, to take Lowe's list as an example, of nearly two 

 thousand. As time went on by selection from the spores 

 of these wild plants and their progeny, other varieties arose, 

 and their distinctive differences from their parents were 

 indicated by additions to the parental names. The result, 

 I adm.it, is in many cases cumbrous, but it is not to be 

 forgotten that this is partly due to the fact that the specific 

 names themselves are often lengthy, such as Polystichum 

 aiigulare, P. aculeatum, Athyvinm filix-jcBmina^ and others, 

 and hence when these are cut down to P. ang., P. acid., and 

 A. f.f. much of the evil disappears. Mr. Lowe did an 

 immense service to the cult by dividing the varieties of the 

 more variable species into sections, each embracing a pre- 

 dominant character, and in practice this greatly facilitated 

 naming on descriptive lines. Personally I have found that 

 new disciples to the cult find little difficulty in grasping 

 these principles, and 1 have never come across one who 

 has been frightened away by the names when once he or 

 she, as the case may be, has obtained a lew fine varieties, 

 and thus acquired a visual acquaintance with their charms. 

 Furthermore, for the beginner there exists sufficient simple 

 English names for his guidance ; let him send an order to 

 one of the trade for a selection, say, of frilled and tasselled 

 or crested hartstongues, plumose, and tasselled lady ferns, 

 tasselled male ferns, and plumose and tasselled shield ferns, 

 and I am perfectly sure that the attachment thereto of 

 labels bearing the accepted Latin names will form no 

 handicap to his admiration. Moreover, even the Latin 

 names are mostly so indicative of the English ones — 

 congesta, cvistata, minus, etc., etc., as to be easily interpreted 

 and speedily learnt. In short, my experience has taught 

 me that once a taste for the cult has been acquired, the 

 name difficulty disappears entirely, or becomes so unim- 

 portant, in comparison with the plants concerned, as to be 

 ignored ; while, as I have indicated, those of the public 

 who are content to see their gardens decorated with fine 

 varieties without taking up the cult as a hobby, can quite 



