My New Zealand Garden 51 



are a very distinct kind, with their ladder-like 

 fronds set in umbrella shape. Hymenophyllums, 

 or filmy Ferns, are very curious. Adiantums, or 

 Maiden-hairs, are in infinite variety. The Todeas 

 are very beautiful, especially Todea superba, which 

 is commonly called Prince of Wales' Feather. 

 Pteris scabeoula, or the common ' Bracken,' grows 

 and spreads everywhere where the soil is good. 

 All of these and many others are done full justice 

 to, both as regards description and illustration, in 

 ' Ferns of New Zealand,' by H. C. Field, C.E., 

 and member of the New Zealand Institute. His 

 illustrations are most perfect. I must mention 

 a Fern which I have come across under the name 

 of the ' Norfolk Island Fern ' as being exceedingly 

 pretty. It has fronds of substantial material, very 

 finely divided. 



All our friendly visits to the Bush did not 

 constitute Bush robbery, but those who cut down 

 large Nikau Palms, which are the slowest growing 

 of all kinds, and use them for the decoration of 

 ballrooms and for other festive occasions, are 

 greatly to blame. These Palms only make about 

 one frond every year,- and when a dead one falls 

 off, it leaves a permanent mark, which forms a 

 ring round the stems, so the age of the trees can 

 be approximately told by the number of rings on 

 them ; and I have counted three hundred on some 

 victims. The argument is that there are always 



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