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incident that may be interesting, and start a train of 

 thought. 



The first point that occurs to me is in respect to 

 Albinism, and variegation in ferns. Some years ago, in 

 my rambles, I came across a number of ferns with creamy 

 white fronds, and others that were intermixed white and 

 green. In noting the conditions under which these 

 abnormal specimens grew, I always found that the condi- 

 tions were bad. One specimen, a Pteris aquilina, with 

 fronds from three to four feet in height, was nearly pure 

 white, and it looked very beautiful among its normal com- 

 panions. There were several others growing near with 

 mixed green and white fronds, and in closely observing the 

 conditions around, I noticed that they grew a good distance 

 in a wood. The soil was swampy and sour, covered with 

 lichen and moss, and I came to the conclusion that the 

 unhealthy condition of the soil, combined with a very 

 limited amount of direct sunlight, had prevented the proper 

 formation of chlorophyll, or the green colouring matter of 

 all green leaves. Environment here played its part and 

 changed the natural appearance of the ferns. 



I note also that the very opposite to the foregoing 

 conditions has its effect, viz. ferns growing under glaring 

 sunlight. I once found a colony of Hartstongues under 

 these conditions, on a rocky hillside. The ferns were well 

 grown, but with fronds of a beautiful golden yellow, with 

 deep brown midrib. I admired them, and in this case 

 as with the Albino Pteris aquilina, took specimens home to 

 test them, but in both cases, after they had become estab- 

 lished under more natural conditions, they returned to 

 their natural green shade. 



As an amateur, I state matters just as I find them, 

 according to my observations and judgment, and I am 

 under the impression that environment plays a not 

 unimportant part as a primary factor in the cause of ferns 



