THE NEW YORK FERN. 



By Adella Prescott. 



The New York fern (Nephrodium noveboracense) 

 was one of my first discoveries after I began the study 

 of ferns. In the light of further knowledge and ex- 

 perience my delight seems quite disproportionate to the 

 cause for I am sure that nothing less rare than the 

 moonwort or curly grass would afford me equal pleas- 

 ure now. Of course the Christmas fern and maiden- 

 hair were old friends but this was the first of all those 

 that "look just alike" that I was able to identify from 

 the description in the book. 



There are many ferns more striking in appearance 

 than the Xew York fern, and the stroller in search of 

 ferns for a background for her bouquet of wild flowers 

 will do well to pass it by. for it wilts quickly when cut 

 and rarely revives even under favorable conditions, but 

 to the fern-lover the delicate fronds have an unfailing 

 charm in the delightful fcniy odor which in this species 

 is unusually rich and strong. 



This fern loves shady hillsides and seldom remains 

 long when the shading trees are cut away. I have 

 found it growing on the hilltop in full sun. but with 

 dwarfed and stunted fronds. The crosiers of the New 

 York fern resemble those of the marsh fern but the 

 stipes are shorter and the mature fronds thinner and 

 more delicate. 



In shape they are broadly lanceolate and taper from 

 above the middle to the pointed tip. Below the middle 

 the pinnae grow farther an farther apart, and are grad- 

 ually reduced in size until the lowest are mere green 

 ears, and this peculiarity was what convinced my de- 

 lighted eyes that I had really identified a fern. And 



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