358 
FERNS : BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 
inches of leaf soil, in company with Adicintum and 
other Ferns, as well as much Cyperacece, the whole 
forming a dense undergrowth in woods. From this it 
appears there is no great peculiarity from other Ferns 
as to its place of growth, and that our ill success 
arises in consequence of the nature of the plant, being 
difficult to re-establish after being taken from its 
native soil, of which there are many instances ; the 
common Pteris aquilina being a familiar example. 
The numerous and beautiful species of Hymeno- 
pliyllce, called Filmy Ferns, merit particular attention. 
They are natives of both tropical and temperate 
regions, and where they abound are generally found 
in shady moist woods, clothing the lower parts of the 
trunks of trees, especially Tree Ferns, or on dripping 
rocks, or surface-soil of the deepest ravines, rarely in 
exposed situations. In order to surround them with 
a moist atmosphere, adaptations must be resorted to, 
such as moveable cases upon the Wardian principle, 
hereafter to be described, and which are essentially 
necessary for the cultivation of this delicate tribe. 
Such, indeed, is their delicacy, that if once allowed to , 
become dry on the surface of their fronds for any 
length of time, a rusty and shrivelled appearance will 
soon follow. Having, as already stated, succeeded in 
cultivating Tricliomanes radicans, it becomes obvious 
that other species could also be made subservient to 
cultivation ; of which there is ample evidence to be 
seen at Kew, where there are forty cases* of different 
sizes, arranged on a stone shelf on the north side of 
the large Fern House, in such a position that they 
* May, 1864. 
