THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. ix 



it is the exception to find gardens in the central 

 parts of large towns. Small open spaces or yards 

 may sometimes exist in lieu of gardens. But in 

 such spaces everything has, too frequently, a bleak 

 and arid aspect, except where " boon nature " has 

 thrown down a few blades of grass or some hardy 

 weed which can bravely live amidst uncongenial 

 surroundings ; or where, perhaps, the occupiers of 

 the houses which possess such dismal open spaces 

 may have introduced shrubs, plants, or flowers in 

 pots. In town suburbs gardens are more plentiful, 

 and flower gardening occasionally is practised with 

 great artistic effect. Even in town suburbs, how- 

 ever, there is many a bleak uncultivated corner 

 which might be subjected with advantage to the 

 enlivening influence of plants. 



But the Ferns why are not they brought into 

 more extended cultivation? Not because there 

 is any disinclination to do so on the part of 

 town dwellers. On the contrary, are the numbers 

 not counted by hundreds of thousands of those 

 who, chained to business in the heart of the 

 great business centres, and consequently kept for 



