FEBRUARY. 



37 



been fulfilled or not? Pray tell us, or let me answer the question by- 

 asking whether the Society has not sunk deeper into difficulties, and 

 that its means of extrication are less. I fear, moreover, there is but 

 little chance of another "stimulant " in the shape of a three thousand 

 pound contribution to afford it temporary relief. I am an P.H.S., and 

 hear nothing about the position of the Society, but what is sad to 

 repeat and to reflect on. I should despair of horticultural societies 

 altogether did I not know many local institutions prosperous ; and, above 

 all, the Pomological progresses rapidly, and appears destined to do a 

 large amount of good at little cost or noise — no small proof of its 

 usefulness. 



Herts. P. H, S. 



[We publish our correspondent's rather inquisitorial letter, and in 

 reply merely remind him that we do not consider ourselves as exponents 

 of the Horticultural Society, which, however, has our best wishes at all 

 times. We certainly, as the writer informs us, wrote hopefully of the 

 Society some time ago, nor do we now despair of seeing it become a 

 a great and useful institution. Chisvvick may have lost its prestige, and 

 its distance from London may make it a drawback rather than a help to 

 the Society's operations ; and, if so, the sooner it is given up and a new 

 site near town selected the better. Whatever may become of Chisvvick, 

 our correspondent need be under no fear that horticulture or the 

 Horticultural Society will decline. Let the Fellows of the Society hold 

 together, and we doubt not the Council will suggest some plan to rein- 

 state it on a basis both popular and useful. The Pomological Society 

 progresses certainly, and answers every expectation formed of it by its 

 promoters. This society, as our correspondents may perhaps remember, 

 was first ushered into the world through our pages, and we therefore feel 

 personally interested in its welfare. — Ed. Florist.'] 



FERN CLASSIFICATION.— No. IV. 



That group of Pobjpodiacem which forms the tribe Polypodinece, and 

 which, as already intimated, comprises the greater number of the 

 species of known Ferns, requires to be broken up into several minor 

 groups, in order to facilitate the classification of the genera. We adopt 

 twenty-three of these lesser divisions, called sections, lor the group 

 now under notice. 



The first broad distinctions are founded upon the nature of the 

 receptacles. In the greater number of the species they are local and 

 circumscribed, definite in form, and confined to determinate parts of 

 the veins, giving rise to the punctiform oblong linear or reticulated 

 forms of sori already referred to. Then comes a small group in which 

 the receptacles are compound, always occupying a crowded mass of 

 reticulated veinlets, from which the spore-cases become effuse, usually 

 forming one or more large shapeless masses or patches, generally placed 

 towards the apex of the frond (sometimes entirely occupying distinct 

 fertile lobes), in some few instances, however, much smaller in size 



