How to Recognise Ferns 



Other hardy ferns prefer the open moors, the hills, 

 and the mountain slopes. Though smaller and less 

 luxuriant than the woodland types, they are generally 

 more robust. It is interesting to note the difference 

 between the bracken of the wood and its more lusty 

 brother which frequents the moors and the mountains. 

 While the former is a taller plant, with leaves of a more 

 tender green, the latter is hardier and has leaves of a 

 tougher texture. 



The most delicate of our native ferns, on the other 

 hand, are only to be found mingling with the mosses on 

 the dripping sides of waterfalls and on rocks kept con- 

 tinually moist by the streams in deeply shaded glens. 



Let us now try to discover how we may always 

 recognise ferns when we meet with them on our rambles. 

 Most people who are not botanists will at once declare 

 that here there can be no difficulty, as ferns are all so 

 much alike, and that all may be readily known as 

 ferns by their general similarity of appearance due to 

 the finely cut leaves, or fronds. But there are certain 

 plants of the fern order which do not possess these 

 finely cut leaves, and there are others, particularly some 

 belonging to the carrot and parsley family, the leaves 

 of which are often mistaken for ferns by the young inex- 

 perienced fern-lover. 



If we wish to make certain that the plant we are 

 examining is a fern, we must turn over one of the 

 fully grown leaves and carefully examine the back of 

 it. What are these brownish or blackish circular 



B.F. Q 2 



