1858.] THE VITALITY OF FERNS. 517 



times as many spikelets as the plant does in its normal condi- 

 tion. Notwithstanding its exuberant growth, it is not a Festuca, 

 a Dactylis, or Glycet'ia, but retains, even in its abnormal condi- 

 tion, the unmistakable features of a Lolium. In other words, 

 vagaries of growth do not transmute species. W. M. li. 



Bayswater, July 2nd, 1858. 



THE VITALITY OP FERNS. 



A few days ago ^ I was very pleased 'to meet with evidence 

 proving the facility with which some Ferns, even under very 

 unfavourable circumstances, maintain their existence for a long 

 period ; and perhaps my best way to bring the matter before 

 yom- readers, will be a rehearsal of the facts from the beginning. 



We were returning from our North Welsh tour in October 

 last, when, just descending the Montgomeryshire slope of the 

 Berwyns, — say a mile before entering Llangynog by Milltir Ger- 

 rig, — some magnificent plants were noticed, and in considerable 

 abundance, of the elegant Mountain Parsley Fern, Cryptogramma 

 crispa. I am sure I speak within compass when I say that a 

 bushel-measure could not have been placed over some of the 

 plants without crushing or pressing them, so large and so vigo- 

 rous were they ; in fact, finer patches, or so many within one 

 view, had never before come under our notice. Recollecting that 

 a friend in the neighbourhood of London had expressed a wish 

 to try to cultivate it once more in his fernery, a few plants of 

 the most portable size — nice, snug, close, easily-removed indivi- 

 duals — were selected, shaken out, and put dry into the carpet- 

 bag ; and into very close quarters we were forced to stow them. 

 This was on Tuesday, the 21st day of October, 1856. Upon our 

 arrival in London, they were unpacked and handed over, on the 

 25th, to our friend above mentioned ; but by some means one of 

 the plants was left behind, and it, when emptying out the carpet- 

 bag, was placed, without any care, in an empty tin vasculum, put 

 aside, and altogether forgotten. In the last week of April, 1857, 



* These remarks were drawn up on May 25th, 1857, but the interest connected 

 with the facts recorded is somewhat increased by the circumstance that the plant 

 referred to is still (Midsummer, 1858) flourishing m a Wardian case here in Frith 

 Street. 



