But I think the geological formation of a district has less 

 to do with their prevalence than the abundance of situations 

 favourable to their growth. Given shelter, moisture, and a 

 little light loose soil, and ferns will show themselves in almost 

 every district. 



Some few thrive in exposed dry situations, e.g., bracken, but 

 it never there attains the size and luxuriance it acquires in 

 valleys by the waterside. Narrow valleys with rapid streams 

 in hilly districts are the favourite haunts of ferns, and so we 

 find Devonshire, North Wales, and the Lake district character- 

 ized as Fern Paradises. 



In Guernsey, though we have not the high hills, we have 

 in the narrow sheltered valleys, the abundant streams, the 

 copious springs, and the mildness and dampness of the climate 

 all the requisites for the growth and spread of ferns. The 

 banks of the streams and the hedge-rows are covered with 

 them, there is hardly any situation where they do not show 

 themselves. On the hard surface of the granite rock itself, 

 they could find no hold for their roots ; but give them a 

 crevice, or a crack so thin that you cannot insert a knife- blade, 

 and there, with no apparent soil, in a sea-side cave the Sea- 

 spleenwort will show itself, on the cliff, the Lanceolate, and 

 anywhere else, the Black Maiden-hair Spleenwort and the 

 Common Polypody will grow ; and some in such situations ex- 

 hibit their most luxuriant forms. 



Let a wall even in the smoke and dust of the town be a 

 little damp, having the drip from anything above falling on it ; 

 there, especially if it be sheltered from the full glare of the 

 sun, you will have a natural fernery, the Hart's tongue, the 

 Polypody, the Black Maidenhair spleenwort, and others will 

 cover it with glossy greenery. 



Even on the sides of the high roads exposed to the full 

 blaze of daylight tufts of fern adorn the banks ; and the ugly 



