MARCH, 131 



present species, the Lygodium palmatum, on the 161st plate 

 of that valuable work. 



These northern localities for the L. yahnatum renders the 

 assertion in Loudon's Encyclopcedia of Plants somewhat 

 remarkable, where it is said that " although a North Ameri- 

 can plant, it must have the protection of a good frame" 

 under British culture. 



It is a great pity that some of our own florists and amateur 

 cultivators of beautiful plants should not, among other im- 

 ported notions from England, derive a share of a taste prev- 

 alent there, for the cultivation of North American productions, 

 to a greater extent than we usually see. But in order to this, 

 a better method of ascertaining what grows around us should 

 first get hold of the public mind, and an acquaintance with 

 plants in their native habitats should be Avider diffused. 

 There is many a beautiful fern that would grow with a little 

 attention under the shade of trees, for example, where we 

 find it difficult to cover the ground with anything that looks 

 verdant ; and in a few instances I have seen this done with 

 success. Many of the ferns too are remarkably patient of 

 drought, reviving on the tardy visit of the shower ; and some 

 are of perennial verdure, giving a cheerful aspect to winter 

 by their sempervirent fronds. 



The stems of the New England climbing fern are very 

 smooth, very slender, flexile, bearing alternate branches or 

 petioles, supporting each a rounded, heart-shaped, four or more 

 lobed frondlet or leaf; and the entire plant surmounted by nu- 

 merous very narrow leaflets, the which, when examined, are 

 found to be the seed-bearing organs, composing a sort of com- 

 pound terminal panicle. This conformation gives an exqui- 

 site finish to the contour of the whole ; and the marked dif- 

 ference between the barren and fertile leaflets on the same 

 individual plant, adds much to the effect. When one of 

 these long and delicate plants is thus carefully unwound from 

 its rude native support, (some prickly stem of a wild rose 

 very likely,) and dried with care, I scarcely know of any 

 specimen more attractive in the herbarium. Such specimens 

 of extraordinary beauty were shown me by my friend Tho- 



