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Onoclea Sensibilis in the South. — It is well known 

 that the sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), so common in 

 northern swamps, does not extend far toward the tropics. 

 Its nearest relative, the ostrich fern, is of the same dis- 

 position, and but rarely extends to Virginia. The sensi- 

 tive fern is found in most of the southern States, but it 

 is rare long before the Gulf is reached. It has been re- 

 ported from Florida, but evidently through an error. 

 Harper reports it as confined to the upper third of the 

 State of Georgia, Professor Cocks found it near New 

 Orleans, and Reverchon notes it from eastern Texas. In 

 Alabama Dr. Mohr's southernmost station was at Stock- 

 ton, in Baldwin County. Mr. W. C. Dukes writes that 

 this station is no longer the fern's southern limit, since 

 three colonies of about a dozen plants each were located 

 at Spring Hill, near Mobile, in 1906, by L. H. McNeill. 

 This practically extends the range of the plant to the 

 Gulf. As to the range of the plant in Mississippi not 

 much seems to be known. We hope the publication of 

 the fern flora of that State will throw more light on the 

 subject. 



Edible Ferns. — The bracken is doubtless the species 

 of fern most often used as food. Not only is it occa- 

 sionally thus used in America, but in Japan it is a regu- 

 lar article of commerce and may be found in the markets 

 tied up in small bundles like asparagus. The royal fern 

 (Osmunda rcgalis) is used like the bracken and is often 

 dried for winter use. In the green state many other 

 ferns are used as pot-herbs, being collected just as the 

 yoiing fronds are unrolling. Only the thick and succu- 

 lent species are selected, such as the cinnamon fern 

 (Osmunda cinnamomea) , the interrupted fern (O. clay- 

 toniana), and the ostrich fern (Struthiopteris Ger- 

 manica). The use of the undeveloped fronds in the cen- 

 ter of the crown of all ferns of the genus Osmunda is 

 well known to children, who in other days at least, ate 

 it under the name of " the heart of Osmund." It is white 

 and tender with a starchy flavor not unlike raw chestnuts. 



