DOWN A GEE EN LANE ! 



Onward, still onward, and downward winds our 

 lane, until, all at once, it becomes fairly buried 

 under the glorious mass of vegetation which 

 grows with such wild and beautiful luxuriance 

 around and above. We have now almost to crawl 

 underneath the bushes and the graceful Fern- 

 fronds which literally choke up the way. For 

 twenty or thirty yards our path is thus buried, and 

 we are compelled to stoop until our chin almost 

 touches our knees. Grand as we have hitherto 

 found the development of Fern-life, here, in this 

 spot, we find the grandest development of all. 

 Oh ! the keen enjoyment we derive from the 

 delicious coolness of this almost subterranean 

 avenue ! Midway in the glorious wealth of green 

 there is a slight break in the bushes. Perched in 

 the gap is a full-blown foxglove; and away 

 beyond and above, arching Brakes and Male Ferns 

 spread out and over us their graceful fronds. 



Once more the scene changes. Still swiftly 

 descending, we pass a wood on our left, and then 

 the lane again opens out. The pathway narrows, 

 but the hedge-banks slope outwards, affording 

 space for the most graceful development of the 



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