CHAPTER V. 



HOW TO COLLECT FERNS FOR CULTIVATION. 



|HE desire to collect ferns for growing at 

 home is a very natural accompaniment of 

 a winter health-trip to Bermuda or Florida, 

 or our summer vacation at the White Mountains 

 or Ausable Chasm. It becomes a fever in such 

 places as the Yosemite or in Brazil. It is only 

 necessary to see the graceful plants, with their 

 delicate fronds or feathery crowns, to begin dream- 

 ing how they would adorn the windows of our 

 sitting-room, or some neglected corner of our 

 garden. But, when we meet them thus in their 

 full beauty, they are in the most unfavorable state 

 for transplanting, as, in the vigor of its growing 

 condition in its natural home, a fern will endure 

 little rough handling, and requires the most tender 

 care to persuade it to become domesticated in any 

 other place. It would, indeed, be better for us to 

 wait till the period of the season's activity had 

 passed, which it is probable that we cannot do ; 



