2O4 



THE FANTASIES OF FERNS 



curling like Parsley, wears a deep bronze hue, which 

 remains constant all Winter. To the novice it does 

 not look like a Fern in any way, for its texture is 

 fleshy like that of so many of the flow- 

 ering plants of Spring. Without the fer- 

 tile stalk, which does not often appear 

 before September, there is little to place 

 it in its tribe. Even when once identi- 

 fied, the leaf presents 

 so many variations in 

 individual plants as to 

 be very puzzling. 

 Now we go through an- 

 other piece of still lighter woods, 

 before coming to the lane bor- 

 der. Here and there are single 

 crowns of the Spinulose Shield 

 Fern, which at first you will take for the Lady 

 Fern; but it has twice -divided fronds, the lower 

 leaflets are unevenly triangular, and the toothing 

 has a thistle -pointed fineness. 



Once in the lane, poor Flower Hat dropped on 

 the grass in a bewildered fashion, mumbling to 

 herself, and began to stick scraps of Ferns between 

 the leaves of the paper-covered book she carried, 

 writing cabalistic sentences on the margins, and 



