FSBNS. 



light ;" and others, '" I have plants within the fonr walls that 

 form my home and dwelling, it is true, but how can I expect 

 them to flourish with the freshness and verdure of those that 

 can drink in full draughts of fresh air without stint, and bask 

 in the cheery sunshine without hindrance ?" It is our present 

 purpose to show those who live in towns and have no garden 

 ground to caU their own, that even the dark and dull back 

 court can be made to teem with vegetation of graceful form 

 and pleasing colour, and to prove that a Home Pet of the 

 vegetable kingdom can be established within the realm over 

 which they exercise lordship and mastery — even though it be 

 bounded and encompassed by four walls, the floor, and the 

 ceiling — which will flourish with all the freshness and brilliancy 

 of colour of its dew-spangled relatives that wave in the lanes and 

 hedgerows of the breezy country ; while we would point out a 

 new and charming study to those who dwell amid green fields, 

 and show to those who are already the possessors of a coveted bit 

 of garden ground, how an additional charm can be imparted 

 to it by the culture of some of the beautiful varieties of the fern, 

 whose graceful fronds never fail to meet the eye, whenever we 

 wander through the brakes and woodlands, or over the lonely 

 moors and by the wave-washed coast and rippling rivulets that 

 diversify the varied scenery of the British isles. 



Our subject now seems to distribute itself under certain 

 heads into which it is needful that we should forthwith obtain 

 some little insight. We, naturally enough, are led to inquire, 

 " What arefems ?" " Where can we find them ?" " How can 

 we grow them to the greatest advantage out of doors ?" " How 

 cam we rear them in-doors ?" and " Are there any other means 

 by which our search for ferns will furnish us with a pleasurable 

 and instructive employment?" All these questions can be 

 answered in a satisfactory maimer, and we will at once begin 

 with the first two queries, and find out what ferns are, and 

 where we can find them. This of course involves some preli- 

 minary inquiry into the component parts of these plants and 

 their manner of growth, which must be followed by a tabular 

 arrangement of the principal British ferns, and a short descrip- 

 tion of the distinctive characteristics of each species, the locali- 

 ties in which they are chiefly found, the soil that they Uke best, 

 and the closest imitation of it that we can make to supply our 

 ferneries and Wardian cases, with a brief notice of the most 

 striking varieties of some of the best known species whenever 

 it may be required. 



