WHEN AND WHERE TO FIND FERNS 



heads in the thicket along the river-shore. The 

 Spinulose Shield Fern and the Evergreen Wood 

 Fern meet us at every turn of the shaded path 

 beside the brook, and on the rocky wooded hill- 

 side the Christmas Fern is almost as abundant. 

 Where the stream plunges from above, the Bulb- 

 let Bladder Fern drapes the steep banks with its 

 long feathery fronds. In the wet meadows and 

 thickets the New York Fern and the Marsh 

 Shield Fern are noticeable on account of their 

 light green color and delicate texture. On moun- 

 tain-ledges we look for the little Woodsias, and in 

 rocky places, often in the shadow of red cedars, for 

 the slim erect fronds of the Ebony Spleenwort. 



Possibly it will be our good fortune to discover 

 the blue-green foliage of the Purple Cliff Brake 

 springing from the crevices of some dry limestone 

 cliff. Almost surely, if we search the moist, shaded 

 rocks and ravines in the neighborhood, we shall 

 greet with unfailing pleasure the lovely little 

 Maidenhair Spleenwort. 



In somewhat southern localities the tapering, 

 yellow-green fronds of the Dicksonia or Hay-scent- 

 ed Fern are even more abundant and conspicuous 

 than the darker foliage of the Spinulose Shield Fern. 

 They abound along the roadsides and in partially 

 shaded or open pastures, the spores ripening not 

 earlier than August. 



In the same month we find in full maturity three 

 interesting wood ferns, all belonging to the same 

 group. The first of these is the Long Beech Fern. 



