THE FERN PAKADISE. 



mens in the darkest and dampest corners. No 

 Fern shuns the light more than the graceful and 

 beautiful Asplenium adiantum-nigrum. It is a 

 great favourite of ours, and cannot, indeed, fail to 

 be admired by all Fern lovers. It is hardy too, 

 and will well repay in cultivation a very small 

 amount of care and attention. 



It is astonishing how many delightful green 

 lanes abut on to the high roads in Devonshire : 

 lanes so temptingly beautiful that you feel you 

 cannot pass without exploring them for, at least, 

 some little distance. We espied such a lane when, 

 on the road we are describing, we reached the top 

 of the hill, on the other side of which lies Staverton 

 Bridge. This lane turns out of the road on the 

 right, and we explored it for a short distance. 

 A few yards from the entrance a bend in the 

 lane hid its further course from view. But the 

 peep just where it disappeared was charming. 

 The overhanging trees, the lovely hedge-banks, 

 and the carpeting of grass and wild flowers- 

 all lent a peculiar and shadowy grace to the 

 vista between, forming what may not inappro- 

 priately be styled a sort of verdant twilight. On 





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