THE FERN PARADISE. 



the pleasure of a wild ramble like this is exqui- 

 sitely sweet ? 



Bat although, as we have said, the enjoyment 

 to be gathered from a ramble either through the 

 green lanes of Devonshire, or the Ferny lanes of 

 other counties, is beyond the reach of thousands, 

 yet there are few places where even the poorest 

 cannot obtain Ferns. Flowers that are cultivated 

 and our garden-flowers require cultivation for 

 their proper development are often beyond the 

 reach of the poor : and no one brings the roots 

 of wild flowers into our towns. If they were 

 brought hither they would pine away, perhaps 

 more quickly than our garden flowers ; and they 

 at least would not thrive any better in the absence 

 of that one vitalizing element sun. But Ferns 

 that grow in wild woods, and open plains, are in 

 the free right of all who choose to gather them. 



~ o 



They are gathered sometimes and brought into 

 our towns and cities by itinerant vendors. But 

 we seldom see them in the dwellings of the poor. 

 They nevertheless might be there. If there were 

 a demand the poor purveyors of the poor would 

 .soon bring a supply from the free, wild country 



154 



