A Natural Fernery

Abstract

NEAR where I am writing, in this parish (East Woodhay) is a deep hollow lane, with high sloping banks, which are abundantly clothed with the following ferns (nomenclature and arrangement from Dr. Hooker's new “Flora”):— Pteris aquilina, Lomaria spicant (rare), Asplenium Adiantum-nigrum, A. filix-fæmina, Scolopendrium vulgare, Aspidium aculeatutm, A. angulare, Nephrodium filix-mas (with several pretty barren varieties), and polypodium vulgare. Although the ferns are of the most common species, yet from the sloping nature of the ground, and the intermixing of a few other plants, such as Equisetum sylvaticum, Lactuca. muralis (very fine), Digitalis purpurea, Cambanula Trachelium, Hypericum pulchrum, Funcus glaucus and compressus, with a few pretty Rosœ and Rubi, tend to make it the most charming bit of fern scenery that I have ever fallen in with.