INTRODUCTION. XXXi 



Nature, but, at the same time, not technical botanists, 

 will be glad of the ready means which I trust this 

 work will afford them of obtaining the names of the 

 species they procure, I have ventured on making my 

 public appearance in a science in which I am now 

 but a tyro, and to which a few years back I was a 

 stranger. I do not on this account ask for a partial 

 reception, for I am well aware that those only who 

 are competent should undertake the task of instruct- 

 ing others. 



In my descriptions I have aimed at simplicity and 

 perspicuity ; I am aware that some may object to the 

 frequent occurrence of Latin words, but these words 

 will, I think, be found very few in number, and I 

 trust their meaning will be rendered perfectly intelli- 

 gible by the following explanation. I have treated 

 every fern as having three parts — the i^oots, the 

 rhizoma, and the fronds. At page 13, the small fibres 

 represent the roots. The three pieces placed trans- 

 versely with the page are portions of the rhizoma, 

 which is, in that instance, called a creeping rhizoma, 

 because it creeps to a great distance under the 

 ground; when it does not creep in this way it is 

 called a tufted rhizoma. The nine upright stems, 

 which are represented rising from the rhizoma, 

 are the fronds; some botanists consider these the 

 branches, others call them the leaves of Ferns ; the 

 fronds of Ferns, hke leaves of trees, wither and fall off 

 every year. The frond consists of a stem, which 

 extends from the i^hizomn to its extreme point or 



