MORE OF THE SMALLER BOG-PLANTS 247 
both young and mature, the garden holds no verdure 
more startling in its clean radiance of tone. And the 
outline of the fronds, plumed and opulently-lobed, on 
invisible, dark stems, is no less lovely than their colour. 
The Oak-fern, abundant in the Alpine woods, is to be 
found with us in the North as a rarity, but abundant 
where it occurs, jewelling some high damp bank of moss 
and rottenness with the refulgent green of its plumes. 
In cultivation it is very easy to establish in luxuriance in 
any rich, cool corner of the rock-work or slope of the 
bog, where sun will not parch it, nor winds wreak havoc 
among its brittle stalks. With me, indeed, in a cool 
Alpine district, it grows rampageously even in the open, 
exposed to the utmost ferocity of our pale northern sun ; 
but in hotter, dryer places it will certainly be the better 
of moisture and shade and shelter. The third of our 
Polypodies, calcareum, a rare plant from the stony screes 
under Ingleborough, is only for dry torrid banks of loose 
stone, through which it loves to run. Its fronds have the 
dusty tone of phegopteris, and in design, while finer than 
the Beech, have not the rich loveliness of the Oak. It 
requires full sun and exposure. Last of damp-loving 
little ferns comes Cystopteris montana, never to be 
overpraised, which I have collected in the Alps, and 
which occurs rarely as a high-Alpine in Scotland. This is 
found in the dampest places under shady rocks, a most 
attractive thing, quite unlike fragilis and alpina, with 
broadly triangular fronds of very fine lacy foliage. This 
I find, is of the happiest, easiest culture in any rich, cool, 
shady corner. 
Of the Filmy Ferns, T'richomanes and Hymenophyllum, 
the less said the better; they are as nearly impossible as 
any plants can be; the Maiden-hair is not for every one, 
but in damp, westerly climates may easily be made a 
denizen, if not a weed, of dark moist corners and caverns 
