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THE FERN PARADISE. 
in their cool rocky home, or through the thick 
foliage of the hedge-row under whose darkest shade 
they love to grow. But even the ferns are change- 
able in their moods, and fickle in their attachments, 
differing from one another in their habits and 
modes of growth. Some members of the lovely 
family will boldly grow in situations where, perched 
on rocky corners, away from the cool shelter of 
overhanging shrubs, they are exposed to the full 
blaze of the sun, and roughly blown upon by the 
wild force of the wind. Others only seek to bathe 
the tips of their delicate fronds in sunshine, hiding 
all beside under damp masses of foliage. Others 
again will bear the sunlight if they can just find a 
refuge for their roots in the damp hedge-bank, in 
the moist crevices of walls and ruins, or amidst the 
interlaced branches of trees. There are others 
still which hide where not even the tiniest ray of 
sunlight can pierce the dark retreat which they 
choose, and where they can revel in soft and humid 
warmth. But all ferns, even the sunniest of the 
modest family, love moisture and shade the best, 
and though they will sometimes grow in the full 
