The Fern Alliance 



himself tried to eat the young shoots of bracken, which 

 were served as asparagus, the taste was so unutterably 

 horrible that he was daunted by the task. 



What is said to be the right method of cooking it 

 consists in soaking the young shoots for twenty-four 

 hours in salt water and then stewing with butter like 

 asparagus. If the reader cares to do this it will be 

 upon his own responsibility, for the author will not be 

 answerable for any results. 



1 Potonie. 2 Stokes and Watson, 3 Weiss. 



* Dietel. 5 Gordon. 6 Henslow. 



7 Von Wettstein. 8 Thomas. 9 Bower. 



10 Scott, Oliver, Arber. u Arber. 12 Seward. 



88 



