148 



the intimate relations early established with the extensive system 

 of colonial gardens and plantations which have ended in these 

 adjuncts being almost wholly manned by men who were trained 

 at Kew. 



2. The increased facilities for the publication of extensive 

 series of excellent illustrations of ferns. In this Hooker was 

 greatly aided by the painter, Francis Bauer, to whom we are in- 

 debted for the admirable illustrations in Genera Filiciuii, and 

 later by Mr. W. Fitch, for many years the artist of Kew Gardens. 



3. By the selection of John Smith in 1841 as the curator of 

 Kew Gardens, whose interest in fern cultivation resulted not only 

 in bringing together the splendid collection of living ferns now in 

 cultivation at that garden, but early laid the foundation of an 

 elaborate generic system of ferns far more philosophical and 

 rational than that followed by Hooker and his successors. 



Whatever may be said in criticism of the conservative treat- 

 ment of fern species or fern genera at Kew, no words can suffi- 

 ciently convey the appreciation of fern students of every subse- 

 quent age for the elaborate and accurate illustrations, the magni- 

 ficent fern herbarium, and the splendid collection of living ferns 

 which have ever been available for study with a characteristic 

 and open-hearted generosity that could not be exceeded. 



Hooker's illustrated publications on ferns were as follows : 



1. Iconcs FilicKui (conjointly with Greville) 2 vols. 1831. 

 240 plates (hand-colored in some copies, not in others). 



2. 6V//rrc^ y'7//r/c;// (conjointly with Bauer). 1842. 120 col- 

 ored plates. 



3. Species Filicuui. 1844- 1864. 5 volumes of text and 304 

 plates (un colored). 



4. Garden Ferns. 1852. 64 colored plates. 



5. A Century of Ferns. 1854. 1 00 colored plates. (This 

 was a reissue of volume ten of /cones Plaiitantni, in which the 

 plates were differently numbered and were uncolored). 



6. Filiccs Exoticac. 1859. K)0 colored plates. 



7. A Second Century of l''crns. 1861. 100 colored plates. 



8. British Ferns. 1861. 66 colored plates. 



Besides the above there were numerous plates of ferns scat- 



