THE THREE-BRANCHED POLYPODY 
265 
Distribution. — The range of this Fern is pretty general 
throughout the countries of Europe. It does not occur in 
Greece and Turkey. It is found in Asia, in Africa, and 
throughout North America. I11 England it is found in the 
counties of Chester, Cumberland, Derby, Devon, Durham, 
Gloucester, Hereford, Lancaster, Lincoln, Monmouth, 
Northumberland, Oxford, Salop, Somerset, Stafford, Sussex, 
Warwick, Westmoreland, Worcester, and York. In Wales it 
is plentifully distributed, occurring in Anglesea, Brecknock, 
Carnarvon, Cardigan, Denbigh, Flint, Glamorgan, Merioneth, 
Montgomery, and Radnor. In Scotland its habitats are in 
the counties of Aberdeen, Argyle, Berwick, Clackmannan, 
Dumbarton, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Fife, Forfar, Inverness, 
Kincardine, Kinross, Kirkcudbright, Lanark, Nairn, Perth, 
Renfrew, Roxburgh, Ross and Sutherland, as well as in the 
Isles of Arran and Mull. In Ireland it is much more rare, 
specimens having been found in only four counties, namely, 
Antrim, Down, Galway, and Kerry. 
Culture. — The creeping rhizoma of this Fern is very 
enterprising, running laterally in every direction on the Fern 
rockery not bounded by a rocky barrier, and throwing up as 
it goes its delicate little fronds. The soil should be leaf- 
mould, peat, and very light sandy loam, mixed in the pro- 
portion of two parts of leaf-mould, two of peat and one of 
sandy loam. But it must be kept in the coolest and shadiest 
of nooks, and plentifully supplied — though not drenched — 
with water. Its fresh golden green fronds are an acquisition 
to the open-air rockery, where it will grow boldly. I11 the 
Fern house, or case, or garden, too, it will grow admirably, 
as Avell as in pots, where, however, it needs room to spread 
more than a great depth of soil. In planting, the rhizomas 
must be very lightly covered with soil, until they have 
become established. 
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