Vlil INTRODUCTION. 



England which rival and even surpass them. The com- 

 petition is there so keen in obtaining fine specimens 

 of rare ferns, that as much as fifty guineas ($250) has 

 been paid for a single plant. It is not therefore to be 

 wondered at, that, in countries where ferns have so long 

 been under cultivation, numerous works upon the subject 

 of their structure, growth, and culture, have appeared. 



In America there are but few large special collections 

 of ferns, although there are many smaller ones as well 

 as individual specimens of rare excellence. The beauti- 

 ful ferns, palms, and other rare plants, exhibited by Mr, 

 Such of New Jersey, in a side-room of the Horticultural 

 Building at the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia, was 

 the one redeeming thing among the contents of that great 

 structure ; at least, at the time of the writer's visit in 

 June, 1876. This was unfortunate, as it misrepresented 

 the condition of American horticulture, besides being a 

 severe criticism on the patriotism of American horticul- 

 turists. 



There has not yet been published in this country 

 any work devoted exclusively to the cultivation of ferns. 

 There is, therefore, less hesitation on the writer's part in 

 presenting to the public this little book, in which he has 

 endeavored to adapt the subject and its illustrations to 

 the wants of persons in the United States. He has, dur- 

 ing the last ten years, followed in practice the theories and 



