124 



BRITISH FERNS 



Victorle (Figs. 112,113 andAppendix 

 No. XIII). — This extraordinary Fern re- 

 presents the most remarkable composite 

 " sport " yet discovered, as our illustra- 

 tions show, being a combination of the 

 perfect cruciate, or cross-forming char- 

 acter, and that of cristatum, or tassel- 

 forming. It was found as a robust 

 plant of several crowns, growing in a 

 cart road off the high road at Drymen, 

 in Stirlingshire, by Mr. James Cosh, a 

 Scotch student, who, jumping over the 

 stone dyke into this road, nearly alighted 

 on the clump, the nature and value 

 of which he immediately perceived. In 

 Mr. E. J. Lowe's records, it is stated 

 that the Fern was left undisturbed for 

 about two years, and as this struck the 

 writer as a singular fact, if it were a 

 fact, he made a pilgrimage some years 

 back to the cart road in question, and 

 was introduced to the identical farmer, 

 Mr. Buchanan, who was engaged cutting 

 the grass in it at the very time of the 

 discovery, and was asked by Mr. Cosh 

 to take care and not damage it, and 

 also to look after it until the next day, 

 when he would return. On the next 

 day, and not two years later, the Fern 

 was lifted and divided by Mr. Cosh him- 

 self, part being left at Buchanan Castle, 

 the seat of the Duke of Montrose close 

 by, and the rest sent, we believe, to 

 Edinburgh, to Mr. Cosh's friends. The 

 writer being related to the Duke of 

 Montrose's factor, not only had every 

 opportunity of ascertaining the actual 

 facts of the case on the spot and, as it 

 fortunately happened, from one who was 

 actually present when the discovery was 

 made, but also became the possessor of an 

 actual division of the original plant. This 

 remarkable Fern comes quite true from 

 spores as regards its cruciate and cristate 

 character, but we have never seen a seed- 

 ling the size of the original, the fronds 

 of which we have had over a yard long. 



9%i,, 



£ 



Fig. 112. A.f.f. Victoria:, 



