92 



A PEEK BOOK FOU EVEIIY130DY. 



whereas in tlie Hard Earns the line of spore-eases occu*. 

 pies the space on each side of the mid-rib. 



There is but one native species of Bracken, which com- 

 pensates for its limitation in this respect by being almost 

 unlimited in individuals. Indeed, we would hazard the 

 assertion that, could thej be counted, there are as many 

 plants of the common Bracken in the three kingdoms as 

 of all the other species of ferns together. 



BEACKEN.* 



The common Brake or Bracken grows from 3 to 6 feet 

 in height under ordinary circumstances, but Mr. Sowerby 

 mentions one which he measured, found growing near 

 Hampstead Heath, that was 13 feet long. The root- 

 stock is creeping, of a dark brown colour, and velvety. 

 The fronds arise at intervals from the root-stock, and are 

 dark coloured at their lowest extremity, which is covered 

 by the soil. The upper portion of the fronds is branched, 

 the branches being produced in pairs. Each of these 

 branches also produce secondary branchlets, which bear 

 long feathery leaflets, cut on each side into lobes nearly 

 to the mid-rib. The whole frond is very compound, or 

 much divided and subdivided. The stem, if cut trans- 

 versely, exhibits a curious arrangement of the dark woody 

 bundles, which has been supposed to resemble a spread 

 eagle ; the Latin name for " eagle" being aqicila. Erom 

 this circumstance the botanical name of " aquilina " given 

 to this species is undoubtedly derived. The spore-cases 

 are produced at the edge of the ultimate subdivisions of 

 the irond, as already indicated. (Plate X., fig. 1.) 



This is generally admitted to be a difiicult plant to 

 transplant and cultivate successfully, — a circumstance of 

 less importance when it is remembered that there are very 

 few situations in which it would be regarded as an acqui- 

 sition — perhaps only in a shrubbery. 



Not very long since (1865) the editor of th© " Field " 



