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with the kindness and hospitality which is characteristic 

 of our host, no less than of other distinguished fern growers 

 whom we have visited. Being shortly ushered into the 

 fern house proper (the whole premises constitute a fernery), 

 our attention was first rivetted upon a particularly fine 

 form of Scol. v. crispum Dviuninondiae which Mr. Druery 

 had this year received from Mr. R. Bolton {vide Frontis- 

 piece). It differed from the usual type of that fascinating, 

 but somewhat disappointing, fern in having no normal or 

 inferior fronds, but in being thoroughly uniform in character 

 all through. The margins are deeply and finely fringed 

 throughout, while the fronds are terminated by heavy 

 crests, also finely fringed, which cause the " switch-back " 

 fronds to droop elegantly. Whether these fine characters 

 will remain permanently remains to be seen, but at present 

 the plant has every appearance of thoroughness and settled 

 character. 



Another recent acquisition was a plant of the new foliose 

 or sub-plumose form of Polypodmm dryopteris, which was 

 found some years ago on Whitbarrow by Mr. Christo- 

 pherson, but for the introduction of which to the Society 

 and to general notice we are indebted to Mr. F. G. H. 

 Eley, who has acted as foster-father and guardian. It has 

 hitherto been thought that the Oak Fern could scarcely be 

 improved by any variation, but it must be admitted that 

 we have here a variety which is more beautiful than the 

 parent species, lovely as that undoubtedly is. I recently 

 saw this doing well at Mr. Eley's place, and I am indebted 

 to him for a plant of it. Near at hand was quite a nice 

 plant of Mr. Druery's A. f.f. halothrix cristatnin, which 

 hitherto no one else seems to have succeeded in persuading 

 to flourish. It is undoubtedly a difficult subject, and it is 

 appropriate that the raiser should be the first to really 

 succeed in its cultivation. Another plant noticed here was 

 Bhchnnni sp. revolvcns Drucvy found near Barnstaple in 

 191 1. It is quite thorough in its semi-tubular form, and 

 the finder has succeeded in raising a flourishing batch 



