PREFACE 



Although the "Natural History of Britisli and Exotic 

 Ferns" contains coloured illustrations of between five and six 

 hundred species of Ferns cultivated in this country, still so 

 many new ones have been introduced during its progress, that 

 it has been deemed necessary to publish a separate volume, 

 under the title of "New and Eare Ferns," to be had either 

 as an independent work, or as an addenda to the eight 

 volumes already published. This work has now also been 

 completed, and will be found to contain coloured plates or 

 wood-cut illustrations of one hundred and fifty-one new species, 

 or new varieties of species that have been already figured in 

 the preceding volumes. 



No class of Ferns have received additions to so largely 

 during the last few years as the Hymenophyllums and Tricho- 

 manes, and these will be found figured and described in "New 

 and Rare Ferns." There is an especial beauty in these plants, 

 their thin, delicate fronds attracting universal attention. Until 

 lately it has only been the few who have been enabled to grow 

 them, because they require a special treatment; they delight in 

 a very humid atmosphere, and many of them in the temperature 

 of a stove. The newly-contrived Ward-case will suit their 

 requirements admirably: it is a miniature hothouse that can 

 be kept in a drawing-room; in fact it is a Ward-case that 

 has a cistern below for hot water, all the care necessary being 

 to re-fill it with a kettle of hot water night and morning. 

 When generally known these cases will be found in all good 

 houses. The Aquarium and the Ward-case are not only 



