1 6 THE FERN PARADISE. 



in their cool rocky home, or through the thick 

 foliage of the hedge-row under whose darkest shade 

 they love to grow. But even the ferns are change- 

 able in their moods, and fickle in their attachments, 

 differing from one another in their habits and 

 modes of growth. Some members of the lovely 

 family will boldly grow in situations where, perched 

 on rocky corners, away from the cool shelter of 

 overhanging shrubs, they are exposed to the full 

 blaze of the sun, and roughly blown upon by the 

 wild force of the wind. Others only seek to bathe 

 the tips of their delicate fronds in sunshine, hiding 

 all beside under damp masses of foliage. Others 

 again will bear the sunlight if they can just find a 

 refuge for their roots in the damp hedge-bank, in 

 the moist crevices of walls and ruins, or amidst the 

 interlaced branches of trees. There are others 

 still which hide where not even the tiniest ray of 

 sunlight can pierce the dark retreat which they 

 choose, and where they can revel in soft and humid 

 warmth. But all ferns, even the sunniest of the 

 modest family, love moisture and shade the best, 

 and though they will sometimes grow in the full 



