190 THE FERN PARADISE, 



housetops, under cottage eaves, and indeed almost 

 everywhere; and in cultivation it will smile re- 

 freshingly on your efforts to preserve it. It is, 

 finally, though plentiful, not common ; and though 

 simple, it is beautiful. 



2. THE MOUNTAIN POLYPODY. 



Polypodium phegopteris. 



A GENTLE member soft and graceful of the 

 charming family of Polypodies, is the Beech or 

 Mountain Fern. Not possessed of the astonishing 

 vigour of its relative Vulgare, it quails before the 

 cutting autumnal winds ; and bending to the cold, 

 becomes dormant during the winter, but reappears 

 with dewy grace when beautiful May returns. In 

 damp woods and mountains moist grows the 

 Mountain Polypody. A slender rhizome it has, 

 which creeps extensively, producing black fibrous 

 roots. From the upper surface of its creeping 

 rhizomes start its fronds, growing from a height 

 of six inches to more than eighteen.- There is a 



