156 



glossum culgatum, Adiantum pedatum (maiden hair), 

 Asplenium tJielypteroides, Phegopteris Jiexagonoptera, As- 

 pidium aculeatum, A. Goldlanum, Oyf^topteris bulhifera, 

 Lygodium pahnalum (climbing fern), and some species 

 of Botvijcldum. To tliese may be added as impossible to 

 find, the mountain species, Asjndium fragrans, Woodski 

 glabella and the limestone ferns. I know only one local- 

 ity in this county for the Ophioglossum, or the climbing 

 fern ; the maiden hair is abundant in one town and can 

 be found sparingly throughout the county. It is very 

 doubtful if Asplenium tJielypteroides, Cystopteris bidbif- 

 era or As2}idmm aculeatum, can naturally grow here, but 

 it is to be hoped that Asp)idium Goldianum, Phegop)feris 

 Iiexagonoptera and the StrutJiiopteris, as well as some of 

 the rarer species of Botvycldum, may yet be found in some 

 of the beautiful nooks of which our county has so many. 

 For three seasons past I liave searched faithfully in this 

 vicinity for the native ferns, and have been rewarded each 

 season by the finding of species not known, or at least not 

 noted by any collector, as indigenous to this county. 

 Nearly all our ferns can be cultivated with success in the 

 garden if a shady portion can be devoted to this purpose. 

 They throw out their beautiful fronds and often hide some 

 unsightly fence, or fill the crevices between stones, with 

 their delicate green foliage. 



Rev. E. C. BoLLES, of Salem, in giving his account of 

 the findings during the forenoon, spoke particularly of 

 the minute fungi, which feed upon plants as certain in- 

 sects feed upon other insects. He illustrated his remarks 

 upon the blackboard, and in closing allnded to the impor- 

 tance of the study of these minute forms, especially to 

 agriculturists, as many of the crops are aflected more o^" 

 less by these parasitic plants. 



