92 
New Zealand Ferns 
settlers look upon them as only an encumbrance, to be 
cut down and burnt out of the way as soon as possible. 
The pith of the trunk and lower part of the stalks — 
from which the species receives its name — was formerly 
baked by the Maoris for food; when properly prepared 
it resembled dried apples. 
This splendid fern is easily cultivated, growing luxuri- 
antly on the lawns about Auckland, and giving to the 
suburbs quite a distinctive appearance. 
The perfection of growth is well illustrated by the 
expanded frond. I have counted no less than 40,000 
leaflets on one frond, all perfect, not one missing or de- 
formed. No doubt the same may be said of most of Na- 
ture’s work, it is only more visible to the eye in the prim 
regularity of a fern. 
The rate of growth in the different species of tree- 
ferns varies considerably. Cyathca medullaris grows 
about a foot a year; I doubt if Cyatlica dcalbata grows 
more than 4 inches. The growth of the fronds I have 
measured more exactly. The plants were two years old. 
Greatest Average 
Daily growth Daily growth 
Dicksonia squcirrosa 2fin. lfin. 
Dicksonia lanata 2fin. lfin. 
Cyathca dcalbata lfin. fin. 
Cyathca medullaris 4in. 2in. 
These measurements were taken from 14 tree-ferns 
during the months of September and October. 
A pumpkin runner averaged 6 inches a day for a 
month. 
It is hard to believe that so soft and tender a plant as 
a fern could possess anything so harsh as a thorn. On 
visiting one of the remnants of real forest near Umtali, 
in Rhodesia, my guide assured me that the tree-ferns 
had thorns. I scoffed at the idea, but not for long. As 
I descended the steep path my foot slipped, and to save 
myself I grabbed the nearest support. I let go with a 
cry of pain, for it had torn my hand. Instead of showing 
