THE FERNY MOORLANDS. 
7 1 
tioa of small trees, and underneath these there is 
a tiny forest of ferns. The Brakes in glorious 
luxuriance clothe the ground ; splendid forms of 
the Male Fern also abound in this wood. The 
dark stream which flows by the wood is fringed 
with the most beautiful specimens of the Lady 
Fern, of all sizes. There also is to be obtained 
the lemon-scented Mountain Buckler Fern. We 
saw a number of these lovely plants. It was 
no wonder that the ferns in this delightful 
grove were so luxuriant, for the soil consisted of 
nothing but sponyg, sandy leaf-mould. The soft 
and exquisitely-beautiful scenery in, around, and 
above this charming wood it is almost impossible 
to describe. The ground covered with waving 
fern-fronds ; on one side the foaming waterfall, 
on the other the river with its fern-fringed banks ; 
above, the interlaced tops of the trees in the 
grove, through which might be seen the grand 
wood-covered hills which shut in the prospect 
all round, and, towering up against the blue sky, 
seemed almost to fold over like a delightful 
canopy, with a grandeur that cannot be described. 
