THE WOOD. 85 



its own, and, when ripe, burst and discharge their 

 seeds by the agency of the elastic ring described 

 above. The " Hart's-tongue Fern " (so called 

 from its shape) differs from all of these in not 

 being divided at all, and having its seeds arranged 

 in long lines on the back of the frond. The 

 " Royal Fern," or " Flowering Fern," grows in 

 bushy places near the water, and sometimes attains 

 the height of six or seven feet. It bears its fruc- 

 tification on the summit of the plant, in masses of 

 a beautiful golden colour, which in this respect 

 resembling a crown, have, I suppose, given the plant 

 its kingly name. 



" My thoughts are feasting by the woodland shade, 

 The rugged pathlet, and the bright cascade, 

 Where the tall Foxglove peeps into the brook, 

 And Royal Ferns adorn each watery nook ; 

 Where Cinquefoil studs the earth with stars of gold, 

 While, from its dwelling by the Violet cold, 

 With laughing eyes, the coy Forget-me-not 

 Bids me not heedless pass the hallowed spot." 



I will only detain you while we examine one 

 object more, and we will continue our walk. 

 Yonder tree bearing such beautiful large leaves is 

 a Plane. It is remarkable for the smoothness of 

 . its bark, which, instead of splitting and so becoming 

 rugged, like the bole of the Oak or the Elm, as its 

 diameter increases, annually falls off, and exposes 

 the newly formed rind unmarked by a single crack. 

 But the leaf, I think, is more worthy of note than 

 the stem. You will observe that its stalk is much 

 swollen at the base, being there as thick as the twig 

 which supports it. Carefully detach it, and you 

 will discover that it is hollow, and encloses a green 

 bud, which remains behind after the leaf has been 



