PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. XI 



being added by cultivation, or found wild. The exhi- 

 bition from time to time of these so-called varieties at 

 the meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, and 

 the awarding of first-class certificates, are indicators 

 of the great interest in which the curious forms are 

 held by amateurs. Varieties are also found amongst 

 exotic species, especially in the genera Gymnogramma, 

 Adiantum, and Pteris ; but these are comparatively 

 few to those native of this country. 



That ferns still continue to be in favour with the 

 plant-loving public, is manifest by the frequent public 

 sales of large importations from abroad, especially of 

 tree ferns, some of which are of large size, and valued 

 as ornamental plants for conservatories, and at public 

 or private banquets or balls, the prices vary ing accord- 

 ing to height, from 5 to 50, or even more ; high 

 prices are also given for species of certain genera, 

 such as Adiantum, Gleichenia, Todea, &c. 



With regard to cultivation, I have nothing to add 

 to what I have already given in the first edition. 



J. SMITH, 



JKx-Curator, Royal Botanic Gardens, 



Kew. 

 July, 1876. 



