/ 
THE 
FERN FSMILIES OF BRITAIN, 
And their Choicest Varieties. 
CHAPTER I. 
INTRODUCTION. 
AYING, in tlie preceding section, given a de- 
scription of tlie predominant types of variation, 
together with, practical hints regarding their 
general culture and propagation, and other par- 
ticulars connected with the subject, which we 
trust our readers will have found interesting, 
our next task is that of giving, with the aid of 
illustrations from Nature, such descriptions of 
the various Pern families indigenous to our 
country as will enable any of our readers to recognise them 
when found; while the woodcuts and descriptions of the 
variations will give them a fairly clear idea of what they may 
possibly light upon, if their quest be only sufficiently earnest 
