Hand-List of Ferns and Fern Allies : Cultivated in the Royal Botanic Gardens PDF

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The general purpose of the series of Hand-lists of the plants cultivated in the Royal Gardens which is in course of publication, and of which the present one is a part, is sufficiently indicated in the preface to that which enumerates the trees and shrubs.<br><br>The collection of Ferns, whether tropical or temperate, is perhaps, next to that of Palms, the most important feature of the cultivation under glass in the Royal Gardens.<br><br>A special interest attaches to it, because it has been used so much in the preparation of most of the books and papers dealing with ferns which have been published in this country during the last half century.

The celebrated botanical artist, Francis Bauer, was resident draughtsman for 50 years (1790-1840) to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and the beautiful series of analytical drawings of ferns which he made were published by Sir William Hooker, after his death in 1842, with descriptive letterpress and additions, under the title of Genera Filicum.

During the 25 years (1840-1865) for which Sir William Hooker was the director of the gardens, his attention was specially concentrated on ferns.