1 88 mature Stu&lee in Berkshire. 



Not only are the characteristics of the ferns com- 

 paratively easy to master, but the family itself and its 

 relations are not numerous. The varieties found in 

 New England and the Middle States are soon learned ; 

 and there is a fine sense of mastery in knowing pretty 

 thoroughly the appearance, habits, and haunts of one 

 whole family of the plant world. For one, I can say 

 that hardly any knowledge that I ever acquired has 

 given me more delight than my imperfect and 

 desultory acquaintance with the ferns. 



In the matter of guides there are now a number 

 of good ones to choose from. Gray's Manual is a 

 little out of date, but it is clear and helpful. Our 

 Native Ferns and their Allies by Prof. Underwood is 

 a capital work, and there is a compact and cheap 

 booklet by Raynal Dodge called Ferns and Fern 

 Allies of New England. The new Illustrated Flora 

 of the Northern United States and Canada by Britton 

 and Brown contains a most admirable section upon 

 the ferns and allied forms. And of course, if one is 

 lucky enough to have access to them, the magnificent 

 two volumes of Eaton's Ferns of North America 

 are beyond anything else in their beautiful coloured il- 

 lustrations and their minute and accurate descriptions. 



Now I hope I have convinced the reader who has 

 cared to follow thus far that it is not a hard thing to 

 know the ferns ; and I trust that he is ready to buy 

 him a magnifying-glass or a botanical microscope and 

 to go forth in search of new acquaintances. 1 only 

 wish that I could take him for a stroll through my 



