describes 

 it in his 

 diary for 

 that day: "The 

 delicate maid- 

 en-hair fern 

 forms a cup or dish, 

 very delicate and grace- 

 ful. Beautiful, too, its 

 glossy black stem and 

 its wave-edged, fruited 

 leaflets.'' 



In the crevices of lof- 

 ty cliffs the Mountain 

 Spleenwort approaches 

 maturity. And now we 

 should search the moist, 

 mossy crannies of the 

 rocks for the Slender Cliff 

 Brake, for in some localities 

 this plant disappears early in 

 the summer. 



We may hope to find most of 

 the ferns in full foliage, if not in 

 fruit, by the middle of Jul3^ Dark 

 green, tall and vigorous stand the 

 Brakes. The Crested Shield Fern is 

 fruiting in the swamps, and in the deep- 

 er woods Clinton's and Goldie's Ferns 

 are in full fruitage. Magnificent vase- 

 like clusters of the Ostrich Fern spread above our 



20 



