THE ROYAL FERN. 
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the streams of moorlands the Royal Fern finds 
its habitats. The grand specimens have enormous 
roots, and the fern-hunter will have to labour 
hard to get them up. But it is a labour of love, 
and one not to be delegated to others. After 
carefully digging up in the woods and trans- 
planting in your fern garden a noble specimen, 
there is an immense satisfaction in remembering, 
when you see it unroll its fronds in its new home, 
that you yourself gathered it. Every time you 
look at it the sight brings back the delightful 
association of the wild woods and the grand 
moorland scenery, amongst which you wandered 
in your fern-hunting rambles. 
Pleasing indeed, almost beyond expression, are 
the scenes which we recall to mind in connection 
with the stately Osmunda : scenes of sylvan 
beauty of a rare and unusual kind. We will 
instance one of these, and the relation may, 
perhaps, serve to recall similar scenes to the 
minds of our readers. 
We had started from Totnes to search on the 
borders of Dartmoor for some specimens of the 
