INTRODUCTION. 



To the non-botanical Briton the term " Fern " stands for a 

 plant with delicate, much-divided leaves apparently a mere 

 arbitrary distinction based on external form, without any 

 essential difference between it and other plants. Therefore he 

 permits himself to speak of the Flowering Fern, and has no sus- 

 picion that he is using a contradiction in terms. So, also, he 

 allows the nurseryman to impose upon him with Asparagus 

 sprengeri as the Asparagus Fern, and as he strolls along 

 country lanes in spring he may impose upon himself by accept- 

 ing the leaves of Beaked Parsley as the fronds of ferns. On 

 the other hand, he regards the Hart's-tongue as a kind of dock, 

 and wonders why some persons call it Hart's-tongue Fern, He 

 would have similar ideas regarding the Adder's-tongue Fern if 

 it were sufficiently large to attract his attention as he walks 

 through the pastures. 



Having regard for this prevailing confusion of ideas, we 

 propose before dealing with each native species of fern in turn, 

 to try to set before our readers some fairly clear notion of fern- 

 organization, showing in what respects these plants differ so 

 emphatically from flowering plants that it becomes almost 

 inexcusable to mix them up or mistake them. For there are 

 really such prominent " outward and visible signs of an inward 

 ( 3 ) 



