DOWN A GREEN LANE f 81 



mounted on their tall stems, and looking grand 

 indeed in the height of their June glory. The 

 lane, wide at its entrance, narrows rapidly, and at 

 the distance of a stone's-throw bends round to 

 the left, and is beyond that point hid from view. 

 But so green and delightful are the trees, the 

 flowers, the grass, and the ferns, that your choice 

 of the turning is instantly made. You feel certain 

 that the lane will get more beautiful as you follow 

 what you are sure will be its winding course, and 

 you make for the bend where that course is hid 

 from view. Look at the hedge-banks as you pass 

 from the short "bit" which has been described. 

 Here are no less than six species of ferns the 

 Male Fern, the Hartstongue, the Soft Prickly 

 Shield Fern, and the Broad Buckler Fern growing 

 out of the hedge-bank ; whilst fronds of the Poly- 

 pody peep out from ivy-covered pollard trunks, 

 and are sheltered by the overhanging shrubs 

 which line the hedge-top. Small specimens of the 

 Bracken are also here. It is perhaps because of 

 the sunny aspect of the hedge-bank that the fern 

 specimens are small. Following the bend of the 



6 



