. Our ferns in their haunts [microform] : a guide to all the native species. Ferns; Fougères. THK BRACKEN. 73 of umbrella fern refers to the spreading character of the fronds, and oak fern is another allusion to the appearance of a cross section of the stem. In Arkansas it is reported to be called upland fern. The word bracken forms part of many English surnames, and fern, farn and fearn, probably referring to the same species form part of as many more. The superstitions that cluster about the bracken are very numerous. A cross section of the stem presents a curious arrangement of the vascular
. Our ferns in their haunts [microform] : a guide to all the native species. Ferns; Fougères. THK BRACKEN. 73 of umbrella fern refers to the spreading character of the fronds, and oak fern is another allusion to the appearance of a cross section of the stem. In Arkansas it is reported to be called upland fern. The word bracken forms part of many English surnames, and fern, farn and fearn, probably referring to the same species form part of as many more. The superstitions that cluster about the bracken are very numerous. A cross section of the stem presents a curious arrangement of the vascular tissues which some have likened to the letter C. Accordingly the plant was supposed to be good to protect one from goblins and witches "because it bears the initial of Christ upon its ;; The "canny Scot," on the other hand, sees in this sec- tion the mark of the devil's hoof. The appearance may also be fancied to resem- i\l| ble an oak tree and is frequently called " King Charles in the ; One an- cient writer says, " If you cut the root of the bracken slantwise you will see the picture of an oak tree. The more per- fect the representation, the more lucky you will ; By others the arrangement was held to form the initial of one's sweetheart. The smoke from burning ferns also had its virtues. Parkinson says, " The fume of feme being burned, driv- eth away serpents, gnats and other noisome creatures " and that "the sent of it is very gratefuU to the ; In the seventeenth century it was customary to burn the bracken when rain was needed. It is said there is still in existence a letter from an early English king, who, desirous of having fine weather during his visit to Staf-. 'KING CHARLES IN THE Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the o
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