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drawn through the hands an agreeable lemon- like odour 

 is perceived, whence its name. In habit and make 

 it somewhat resembles the Male Fern, but is distin- 

 guished by the side divisions continuing right down to 

 the base, where they taper into rounded lobes, while 

 the Male Fern has a naked stalk of several inches, the 

 side divisions then commencing are fairly long ones. 

 L. cemula is a little on the lines of the Broad Buckler 

 Fern, but smaller, and with its fronds beautifully crisped 

 and crinkled rendering it far prettier. L. thelypteris, the 

 Marsh Fern, resembles an attenuated L. montana, but has 

 a creeping root, and only thrives in bogs. It is not to be 

 recommended for garden culture. 



The family of the Shield Ferns consists of three members, 

 viz. the Holly Fern {Polystichum lonchitis), the Soft Shield 

 Fern (P. angulare), and the Hard Shield Fern (P. aculeatum). 

 The first is a true mountain Fern, rarely found below 

 2,000 feet. Its hard lucent green fronds are once divided, 

 the midrib bearing two rows of acutely pointed divisions, 

 somewhat like Holly leaves, whence its name. Given a 

 northern aspect, with its crown well sheltered by an over- 

 hanging rock or brier, it will grow in the garden, but is 

 rather apt to perish, unless the air be very pure. P. 

 angulare y the Soft Shield Fern, grows much larger and has 

 long lax fronds twice divided, the segments resembling 

 those of the Holly Fern in shape, but being much softer 

 in texture, whence the name. The Hard Shield Fern 

 (P. aculeatum) is stiffer in growth and tougher in make, but 

 otherwise not very dissimilar. To these species, as to 

 some of the others, we recur later. 



The Polypody family, represented by the Common 

 Polypody {Poly podium vulgare), the Oak Fern (P.dryopteris), 

 the Beech Fern (P. phegopteris), and the Limestone Polypody 

 (P. calcareum), are all available for rockeries in sheltered 

 situations. The first-named is a very common fern in 

 many parts of the country, topping old walls and fringing 



