THE LADY FERN. 



Lady Fern are cut down on the approach of win- 

 ter, during which the plant remains dormant. 

 But in spring, about May. new fronds again start 

 from the root-stock, in abundance ; and in the 

 height of summer the beautiful plant attains the 

 full glory of its perfection, with its mass of light, 

 delicate-green, arched, and gracefully drooping 

 fronds, at the back of which lie in thousands- 

 ensconced under the partial protection of the 

 beautifully frilled, and indented lobe edges the 

 little horse shoe-shaped clusters of spore-cases 

 which contain myriads of tiny seeds. 



Most cool and shady of cool and shady nooks 

 are the habitats of the beautiful Lady Fern. Down 

 by the river's brink, just where the spray-flinging 

 stream makes the air moist and cool, and where 

 overhanging boulders or covering branches keep 

 in the shadow and keep out the sun, there will 

 you find the Lady Fern perched, its droopingly 

 delicate and lace-like fronds quivering in response 

 to the touch of the thousand tiny water-drops 

 which, flung by the dashing water, fall over it 

 each moment. Sometimes, but rarely, when 

 streams are not near, this exquisite Fern may be 



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