15 
amount. Some ladies place them between the 
cushions of the sofa, and then lie on them reading 
sentimental novels. Even the sternest fathers never 
find fault with their daughters for this arrangement : 
and if a gruff voice should ever cry out — “You lazy 
girl, why do you lie on the sofa all day long ? ” the 
natural answer will be — “I am only pressing my 
ferns, papa” — at which papa is quite satisfied. 
When dried they must be mounted. The best way 
is to employ two leaves of white paper, folio size or 
larger ; and supposing these leaves open, fasten the 
fern on the right-hand side or page, and on the left- 
hand page write the name, date when procured, 
locality, description, or any other memoranda. 
Some fasten the fronds down with gummed slips 
of paper, some sew or tack the principal stems to 
the sheet with needle and thread, and some paste, 
or gum, or glue the whole under side of them, and 
then stick them down. Perhaps paste is the best 
adherent; it is more manageable than warm glue, 
and does not shine like gum. The best way to dis- 
tribute the paste evenly over the back of the frond 
is to paste a sheet of spare paper, and lay the frond 
upon this pasted surface. On being lifted it will 
take up enough for the purpose desired. It must 
then be finally placed carefully upon its own sheet 
of paper, and dried under slight pressure. A port- 
folio of sufficient size is a good thing to keep the 
dried specimens in. 
Uses. — 
Where found. — Up the lane from Cotmaton 
towards Jenny Pine’s Corner, opposite the stone 
wall of the Water-works of the Cotmaton Spring. 
Go from J. P’s. Corner down the lane to Bickwell. 
It grows in the left-hand hedge by the gutter before 
reaching the cottages. In Bulverton Hill lane, 
(south-east corner of that hill) left-hand side it is 
abundant. By detached roots it grows all over the 
neighbourhood. 
Culture. — In any ordinary soil it seems to suc- 
ceed, if it has moisture. 
