PREFACE. V 



My Herbariura continued to increase, not only by 

 the addition of specimens from cultivated plants, but 

 also of dried specimens received from the principal 

 Fern regions of the world, either obtained by direct 

 purchase or by presentation. The collection, number- 

 ing about 2,000 species — their various sizes and forms 

 occupying G,000 large folio sheets — were, in 1866, 

 with the exception of one-third duplicates, purchased 

 for the Herbarium of the British Museum. 



In 1846 the Kew Garden collection had increased 

 to 400 species, of which I made up a list, published 

 in the volume of the "Botanical Magazine" for that 

 year. This was followed in 1857 by the publication 

 of a "Catalogue of Cultivated Ferns," 600 species 

 being enumerated. 



In May, 1864, in consequence of failing sight, I 

 resigned the curatorship of the Royal Botanic Garden. 

 I at that time was preparing another catalogue of 

 the Ferns in the Kew collection, which was published 

 in 1866, under the title of "Ferns, British and 

 Foreign,"* consisting of their History, Organograpy, 

 and Classification, including a Treatise on their Cul- 

 tivation. In this work 164 genera are described, each 

 illustrated by a woodcut, and 1,084 species enumerated, 

 including 56 Lycopods and their allies. The Kew 

 * A second edition is now in preparation. 



