THE WOODSIAS. 227 



In pots, in cool nooks of the open-air rockery, 

 or under a covering of glass, this beautiful and 

 delicate little fern may be grown. complete 

 shade, moisture pure and percolating, must be 

 supplied. Light, sandy, peaty soil must be used, 

 and the fern planted carefully amongst little 

 blocks of stone. 



2. THE ALPINE WOODSIA. 



Woodsia alpina. 



Alpina is a sort of diminutive likeness of Ilvensis. 

 Narrow, blunt-pointed fronds, shorter and narrower 

 than those of Ilvensis. From a tufted crown these 

 little fronds are thrown up, jointed just a little 

 more than half an inch from the ground. The 

 leaflets along the rachis are somewhat shorter 

 and blunter than those of Ilvensis, are not so 

 much notched, and are placed on each side in 

 alternation. But they get smaller towards the 

 top of the frond, by a somewhat slow process of 

 gradation, finally blending, however, at its ex- 



