BRITISH FERNS. 
3 
using it as his or her guide will eventually regiet the trouble 
taken or will feel anything but gratitude to us for our 
recommendation. 
Our native British Ferns have immensely advanced and 
improved. At the outset of the past century Ferns generally 
were an enigma to the biologist, and their varietal capacity 
only known to a minute extent, contemporary books alluding 
vaguely to a few monstrosities which might certainly be 
reckoned on the fingers. In the middle of the century 
“ varieties ” became the study of the pioneers, and some 
scores of fine forms had been found and many more good and 
bad had been raised. Since then a comparative handful of 
Fern lovers have sustained the cult and practically reformed 
it ; the result is this list, and another result, we hope, will 
be a fuller appreciation in the present century of the outcome 
of their labours. 
CULTURE AND PROPAGATION. 
IN the culture of Ferns, as with all other plants, the nearer 
we can approach the conditions under- which they grow wild and 
luxuriantly the greater will be our success and the fewer our 
disappointments. In the introductory matter relative to each 
species we have indicated their special habitats, likes, and 
dislikes, and therefore here we need only briefly refer to 
general piinciples. Ferns are survivors from a period when 
the earth was doubtless warmer, cloudier, and damper than 
now ; our coal formations have been bequeathed to us by 
Ferns and their kin, and undoubtedly we are indebted to 
the same source for all our present wealth of trees and 
flowering plants. Hence, although many species in tropical 
and sub-tropical climes have adapted themselves to hot and 
even dry positions, the great majority still affect situations 
away from hot sunshine and risk of continuous drought, and 
naturally, in a comparatively moist climate like Britain, the 
species native thereto have been evolved to fit it. Consequently 
it is in woods, shady lanes, and secluded glens that we find 
our Ferns at their best. Thus, the first thing is to avoid 
an excess of sunshine. The next thing is to avoid wind, not 
merely on account of the drying nature of some winds, but 
far more because the friction set up between the fronds is 
bound to seriously damage them, especially when we are 
dealing with some of our finest cut varieties. Thirdly, drought 
must be avoided at the roots, and the more humid the air the 
