CHAPTER VII 



THE FERN ALLIANCE 



IN the last chapter we scarcely perhaps did justice to 

 the extraordinary beauty of mosses when one has the 

 good fortune to find them in a home that is really 

 congenial. 



There are such places in many warm but not quite 

 tropical climates. In the Perie bush, near King William's 

 Town in South Africa, when stumbling down beside some 

 little burn or rivulet, every great boulder or small preci- 

 pice or stone is covered by the most exquisite cushion 

 of soft green, feathery branching moss fronds and liver- 

 worts. 



Planted in it, as effectively as any gardener could 

 have managed, were quantities of Streptocarpus. Most 

 were in full flower ; the gracefully curved stalk rose 

 from the huge wrinkled leaf that hung down over the 

 mosses. Above the little stream arched branches were 

 crossing at every angle, and each of these was also 

 entirely covered by the intricate greenery of mosses. 

 Upon the branches were orchids and other parasites, 

 but especially an abundance of ferns. 



Indeed the place was almost a fern glade, with a moss 

 background everywhere. 



In other parts of tropical Africa, but also it is said in 

 New Zealand and elsewhere, there exist warm, moist 

 ravines, sheltered amongst the hills in which, in every 

 direction, the eye sees nothing but luxuriant, finely 

 divided fern-leaves springing from rough tree-fern stems 



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