60 THE FERN PARADISE. 



ing influence of plants and shrubs. The ferns 

 especially resent the intrusion of the railway 

 engineers. 



Dry, hard, bare cuttings may be made through 

 the hills ; the turf, heather, and wild Brakes may 

 be stripped off along the valleys ; the lines may be 

 laid down, and everything done to make the scene 

 look as commercial and uninteresting as possible. 

 But the spontaneous influences which produce 

 vegetable life will overcome all this. The rain 

 comes down, and on to the soften'ed earth the grass 

 seeds blow. Thistle and dandelion will send their 

 germs in light and airy chariots, and fern spores in 

 countless numbers will find their way where the 

 navvy has ruthlessly stripped off the verdant 

 carpeting to make room for the iron roads. Nature, 

 indeed, everywhere more or less asserts her sway, 

 and clothes our roads and railways with her 

 charming dress ; but it is especially the ferns 

 with which roads and railways have to contend 

 in the charming county of Devon the ferns which 

 carry everywhere a soft and indescribable grace. 

 You will always have time to enjoy the lovely 



