28 
tenacity. These branch here and there with many fibres 
underneath, and are covered with dense brown scales, which 
peel off at a year’s end and become quite smooth. From the 
breaking ofi* of the fronds of the previous year, there appear 
in the roots many a scar, like those of a valiant soldier, who 
has been bravely engaged in the defence of his beloved 
country. The stalk is usually as long as the frond itself, 
and the fructification is confined to the upper part, and is at 
the end of its vein. The edge of the leaflets is generally 
not cut, though they sometimes are serrated and notched. 
The young fronds are often inconspicuous during the 
summer, and the beauty of this plant appears in the winter 
months. 
This Fern has a very wide range. It thrives in almost 
every part of Europe, and though it shuns the torrid zone, 
is found in the northern regions of Asia, and is not alto- 
gether excluded from Africa. Common as it is, it has its 
peculiarities. It does not frequent the open heath or 
common. It rather delights in the works of man, and 
settles on some ancient building, ruined castle, or abbey, or 
quietly reposes on an old wall, hedge, or bank. It does not 
hug in its embrace the lofty forest tree, but clasps some 
decayed and stunted pollard oak or ash with great pertinacity, 
and hastens on its ruin. Our forefathers used to make a 
distinction between the Polypody of the oak and the Poly- 
pody of the wall, but they are identically the same plant, 
with this difference only, that generally when growing on 
the wall, it is a more stunted and starved specimen. 
It is almost unnecessary to make any remark respecting 
its cultivation. Let the roots be extracted in a compact 
form and placed on a rockery, or if firmly adhering to an old 
stump, let a slice be sawed off where the roots are thickly 
matted together, and it will most certainly thrive. Some 
of our city friends suspend it in a wooden basket, wherein 
is placed bog moss, dead leaves, and sand, and consider it, 
thus placed, very ornamental to their greenhouses. If such 
an attempt be made, the gardener should attend to venti- 
lation and a due supply of fresh air. 
Some of the old writers ascribe great medicinal virtues to 
this plant. Dodonseus relates That the inhabitants of the 
