COMMON BRAKES. 
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COMMON BRAKES [one-tenth the natural size). 
Pteris aquilina, Linneus. 
The common Fern, or Brakes, as it has usually been termed, 
is the most abundant of our British species : there is scarcely a 
heath, common, wood, or forest, in any part of the United King- 
dom, in which it does not make its appearance : its presence, 
in great abundance, is said to indicate poverty in the soil, but 
from its luxuriance when growing in the vegetable mould of 
woods, and in highly manured gardens, I am inclined to suppose 
its usual absence from rich cultivated land is rather to be attri- 
buted to the effects of the plough and hoe than to any quality 
of the soil. It is quickly eradicated by either of these instru- 
ments, and seems peculiarly susceptible of injury. It appears 
one of those truly wild plants which fly from man, and take re- 
fuge in wastes and wildernesses. In size it is extremely vari- 
able ; sometimes it is scarcely a foot in height ; at others it 
reaches an altitude of ten and even twelve feet. Although it 
