PREFACE TO THE EIGHTH EDITION. 
‘The Fern World’ having been out of print for some time, 
the Author is tempted to re-issue it — this time in an Eighth 
Edition at what is called 1 a popular price ; ’ and the fact 
that, though dealing mainly with what are known as ‘ British 
Ferns’ — the species of which are nevertheless to be found in 
many parts of the world — the general chapters relate to Ferns 
everywhere, may furnish some reason for the inclusion of this 
Edition in the series of ‘ The Imperial Library.’ 
Indeed, the public who have bought the volume are by no 
means British in the local sense, for it is very gratifying to 
the Author to know that it has been sold in every English- 
speaking country in the world. 
It is also a further cause for gratification to him to have 
been told that its descriptions of scenery — modestly put 
forward as typical of ‘ Fernland ’ in general — have induced, 
as he has been credibly informed, many thousands of its 
readers to visit the scenes described, though these scenes 
have been drawn from his own bonny Devon, ‘ the fairest 
county of England,’ as his friend Mr. Blackmore has truth- 
fully and lovingly styled it.. 
It seemed fitting that the kind praise bestowed upon the 
coloured plates in the Earlier Editions should evoke a desire 
to improve them for an Eighth Edition, and this has 
accordingly been done by having them entirely redrawn, an 
improvement, as the Author believes, being effected by more 
