60 



The Ferns of Guernsey. 



stir up an increased interest in natural objects, but I certainly 

 cannot see why every visitor must prove bis interest on ferns 

 by tearing up roots and dropping them along the road. Any 

 one may stand at the slip and watch passengers land from 

 Sark, and learn what ferns that island produces without visiting 

 its shores. I am glad to see it must boast of one good station 

 for Royal Fern, but unless precautionary measures are taken, 

 it will not boast it long. Could the authorities impose a duty 

 of five francs per root ? Or impose a license on those who sell 

 them wholesale in the market, or hawk them about the streets. 

 I feel the greatest indignation however against those who 

 employ men or send their own gardeners about the country 

 filling great hampers to send to friends. These are pretended 

 " lovers of ferns," who go in ecstacies over the delicious speci- 

 mens their friends have sent them, and who in nine cases out 

 of ten allow the beautiful to lie about until they are thrown 

 on the manure heap. It is from these, our hedge-rows suffer 

 most ; these are the people whom I blame almost entirely for 

 the decrease in the Multifid Hart's tongues, and the Crested 

 Lady and Male Ferns. I hope every member of this society 

 will raise his voice against these practices, and do his best to 

 check them ; so that Guernsey may continue to have reason to 

 be proud of the prevalence of ferns, their variety and luxu- 

 riance, and the beautiful effects they produce in what I think* 

 is, next to the cliffs, the greatest attraction of the natural 

 characteristics of the island :— the shaded ferny lanes, every- 

 where so common, but nowhere so charming as on the slopes 

 of our south coast. 



