i So 



THE LADY FERN AND ITS KIN. 



shady woodland at any time of 

 year might decide us in favour 

 of some wood fern. But the 

 matter can not be regarded as 

 decided until the claims of the 

 lady fern (Athyrium filix-f&m- 

 ina) have been considered. 

 While it may not be the most 

 abundant in any one locality, its wide 

 range of habitat from deep woodlands to 

 open swamps, stony pastures and dusty 

 roadsides gives it a larger representation 

 than one would at first imagine. In any 

 event it is always common enough to be 

 found by the young collector and attrac- 

 tive enough to be worth the finding. 



Although a pretty and decorative species, 

 the lady fern seems scarcely to deserve all that 

 the poets have said of it. It is barely possible 

 that much of this praise is due to the fact that 

 the poet seldom feels sure of his species, owing 

 to a defect in his botanical education, and so 

 the few he does know come in for all the 

 credit. Scott's four lines. 



"Where the copse-wood is the greenest, 

 Where the fountain glistens sheenest. 

 Where the mountain dew lies longest, 

 There the lady fern is strongest." 



have been quoted in every fern book since they 

 were written, which must be our excuse for in- 

 cluding them. 



Less familiar are the fairly descriptive lines 

 by Edwin Lees of which three stanzas are 

 LADY FERN. here given. 



A thyrium Jilix-foemi*++ 



