36 American Fern Journal 



Some portions of the slope were nearly impassible by 

 reason of rocks, brush and windfalls. A heavy, wet 

 snow was now falling, but melted about as fast as it 

 came, saturating the deep layer of autumn leaves upon 

 the ground and made traveling much like wading in 

 water. 



A visit was made to the main heights half a mile or 

 so back from the mountain, revealing nothing more than 

 some small forms of Scolopendriums . Returning to the 

 barn for the horse, good farmer McKenzie heartily 

 urged me to go to the house for a "cup of coffee, which 

 all of you Americans like," as he put it, but it was snow- 

 ing harder, and so late, I was forced to decline and started 

 on the twelve mile drive straight into the face of the 

 storm. My shoes were soaked and my feet suffered so 



me 



beside the wagon to warm up. 



summarizing 



of my trip, I am adding some general notes on the two 

 ferns about which I have written. 



The holly fern appears to prefer partial shade, where 

 the trees have been thinned out, and berry bushes and 

 brush have followed. More were found along the tops 

 of the ledges than below and comparatively few on the 

 talus. It did well under pines and cedars. Some of the 

 finest specimens met with were under large pines, erect, 

 solitary, the only green thing growing up through the 

 deep layer of brown pine needles, with fronds 20 to 25 

 inches in length. In contrast were those found without 

 shade, in poor soil, small and olive to rusty brown color. 

 Forked fronds were occasionally discovered, as were 

 fronds that had endured for two seasons at least. These 

 older fronds were invariably prostrate and frequently 

 hidden by the forest leaves. 



The hart's tongue is distributed quite widely over that 

 section, but is much inferior in size and less erect than in 



