38 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



fronds, with the stem and roots, the fronds being spread out 

 in an easy and graceful form, and as far as possible kept 

 quite flat, but not formally ' laid out ' so as to destroy any 

 peculiarity of habit which the species may possess. 



If entire tuffcs cannot be obtained, and single fronds have 

 to be substituted, they should be taken quite to the base, 

 and must be removed from the stem with care, so that the 

 scales, or hairs, or farinose powder, which may be present 

 on the stalk, may be preserved equally with the frond itself. 



Of larger growing species, single fronds only are manage- 

 able, and these, when of larger size than the folios in which 

 the specimens are to be kept, must be folded to somewhat 

 less than the length of the papers, whilst yet fresh. 



Of the gigantic species, portions only of the fronds, cor- 

 responding in size with the paper to be used, can be pre- 

 served; but all of our native species, except in cases of 

 extreme luxuriance, may, we believe, with a little judgment 

 in the selection of specimens, be folded so as to allow of 

 their being preserved in ordinary folios measuring eighteen 

 inches by twelve inches, or thereabouts. 



It is sometimes recommended to select specimens with the 

 fructification mature. We should rather, as a general rule, 

 advise their being gathered before the masses of spores reach 



