92 HISTORY OF BRITISH FERNS. 



and hedge-rows throughout Great Britain, and especially so 

 in Ireland ; it also occurs throughout Europe, and in Asia, 

 Africa, and North America. The monstrous varieties are of 

 Irish origin; though the parsley-like one has also been 

 found in Scotland. 



Pew of our native Ferns are more easily cultivated than 

 this. A rather boggy soil suits it best, and it loves shade 

 and moisture ; indeed, these latter conditions being fulfilled, 

 soil becomes a secondary consideration. The moisture, 

 however, though abundant, should not be stagnant. The 

 Lady Pern is occasionally seen planted in the mouth of a 

 cave or recess by water among shady rock-work ; nothing is 

 so lovely as a finely-grown plant of it so situated. 



" Supreme in her beauty, beside the full urn, 

 In the shade of the rock, stands the tall Lady Fern." 



As a pot plant it requires plenty of room, both for its 

 roots and fronds, and must be liberally watered. 



By the older botanists this plant was called Polypodium 

 Filix-fcemina. It was then transferred to Aspidium, under 

 the name of Aspidmm Filix-foemina ; and subsequently by 

 other botanists it has been called Asplenium Filix-fcemina, 

 which latter name is still given to it by those who do not 

 adopt the genus Atliyrium. 



