202 
e hardy ferns occupy the Ca ie originally devoted to Alpine 
plants (before the construction of the Rock Garden in 1882), and it 
extends over part of the adjacent ground. A c ollection was established 
f 
The collection as a whole is now pro ably the richest, in existence 
in garden forms of British species, This is due to the munificent 
bequest by W. C. Carbonell, Esq., of the extensive collection formed 
by him a Rhiw Castell Usk, Monmouthshire. The whole was 
removed to Kew in 1887. It consisted of 4, Eug specimens, many 
probably atm besides some hundreds of seedling 
The total number of well-marked species of od and the vaseular 
gt a 9 orp llies) now mounts up to 3,500. Not more than 
one-third o e have been brought into cultivation, and Kew is 
established peen ;if not, in the shape of dry pores, which can be 
coilected and sent very easily by post in small packet 
The AIL table, which shows the per-centage of the total ae 
of ferns found in different parts of the world was drawn up b 
Baker in 1807 ; but = does not think that the discoveries of the last 
20 years will have altered any of the figures materially :— 
Arctic cues - E - z "s per cent. 
Euro sf ^» 
Temperate "Ais; including Himalayas - 8 » 
Temperate N. A ww Pe 
Temperate "Africa - ay $ 
Australia and New Zealand - = A wr 
South temperate — ring » 
Tropical Africa - - 15 * 
Tropical Asia - - - 39 " 
Tropical America - - 42 j 
The present hand list is divided into three parts :— 
(i.) Ferns proper (pp. 13-133) ; 
di.) Fern allies (pp. 185-143) ; 
me dt as an appendix, a list of prem forms of British species (pp. 
—183). 
With regard to (i) ferns proper, the arrangement is alphabetical and 
ly introduced, those included being 
ich 
estere to supply an index. "hose who wish to diga the study 
nomenclature further may fall b 
Synopsis Filicum, upon which the present hand list is substantially 
base 
T fern. allies — have also been grouped alphabetically. It has 
not been thought necessary for the present purpose to se sepess te them 
according to a petal classification. 
The cultivated and feral varieties of British ferns (iii) have béo 
enumerated in an appendix. Although the collection of them at Kew 
is very rich, they stand in a different position to the colleetion of 
recognised and well-determined species. Apart from their intrinsie 
beauty, which is often striking, they are of considerable d 
seminal 
interest as Adice the range of variation due to crossing an 
E and cultivators who have raised them 
have furnished them with ‘Latin names , often cumbrous and — 
which Tavo received no — | definition. "etd oo therefore, be 
