PEEFATOEY NOTE. 
The nomenclature adopted in tlie following pages is that 
of the London Catalogue of British Plants, published under 
the direction of the London Botanical Society. This has 
been done because that list is almost universally used by 
British botanists in making exchanges. 
The bst of S3mon3Tnes could have been much extended, 
but those only of comparatively modern authors have been 
given. 
The real or supposed uses of the plants are enumerated, 
not from any great faith in their value, but to show that 
ferns have from the time of Dioscorides (about the j^ear 60 ) 
down to the present day been considered potent remedial 
agents; although the only preparation now in use is the 
Oil of Male Bern, and this seems deservedly esteemed b^^ 
man}^ of our most eminent medical men as an excellent 
vermifuge. 
As few technical scientific terms are used as possible, 
and the}" could onh" have been omitted by the use of six or 
eight (or even more) words to express the same thing ; and, 
besides, the meaning of most of them is so evident that I 
have not thought it necessaiy to insert a Glossaiy. 
In nearly ever}" instance I have confii^med the existence 
of the plants in the locabties named, and where no other 
