The Fern Alliance 
himself tried to eat the young shoots of bracken, which 
were served as asparagus, the taste was so unutterably 
horrible that he was daunted by the task. 
What is said to be the right method of cooking it 
consists in soaking the young shoots for twenty-four 
hours in salt water and then stewing with butter like 
asparagus. If the reader cares to do this it will be 
upon his own responsibility, for the author will not be 
answerable for any results. 
1 Potonié. % Stokes and Watson. 3 Weiss. 
* Dietel. 5 Gordon, ® Henslow, 
7 Von Wettstein. 8 Thomas. ® Bower. 
10 Scott, Oliver, Arber. 41 Arber. 13 Seward. 
88 
