The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-07
Hoqu to Knoqu Ferns.

That culture In America Is on the In.
crease Is evidenced In nothing more plainly
than In the publication of so many books
hearing on the aesthetic arts II may he
bit premature to place ferns aud Wild
.nowers In this category. hut 1t is fact
that interest In these topics has been
growing more extensively Of late years than
ever RotaniSts Surfing In With the the
DRY that an exhaustive treatis> was the
only method OF getting at the technical
values OF these nature products of beauty
have published their long aud heavy chan.
tiers, going Into such minute detaH that
only professionals coull hope to understand
them properly. Then more simple me,ho Is
prevailed. aud other hooks less intricate
came from high sources.
II has remained however. for lady.
Frances Theodore Parsons. TO give to the
world book called How t. Know Forms
uhc Scribner Ca in such slmplifcL form
that child can understand and appreciate
IL The work of educating the public has
been greatly aided In the larger cities bg
eSt!~ragant displays of ferns IN windows
so that those who have n turn toward
noraculturc have had their tastes educated
at the same time on forms
And so II has come to pass that the study
Of nature has become fad Tho pleasur,
one takes In literature, as In travel Is
greatly enhanced by knowledge Of nature.
. Not only" saws this charming book, "are
we able better to appreciate writer's on
nature SO original and Inspiring as Thoreau.
or SO charming as John Burroughs but
such natureloyins poets as Wordsworth,
Lowell Bryant and countless others mean
inhuitely more to the man or woman. who.
with a love of poetry combines a knowl.
edge of the plants and birds mentioned In
the poems"
Books Of travel are usually far more In.
terestlug If we have some knowledge Of
botany and zoology. This is true also Of
biographies. which deal with men or WON.
en- who ind either their work or recreation
in some department Of natural science
While II Is to be regretted that one de-
pArtment Of nature study, ferns has boon
much neglected. we are compensated 10y tho
interesting publication already alludcd to.
"dow To Know Ferns" the text If which
is as simple as IT'S unprctentious title. We
have had only ono highly mevitotious pub.
ication previous TO this on American ferns
that by Mr. Mr.. Williamson in little vol.
,nne called Ferns of Kentucky" It Is
wen known that In England there are
books Of all sizes and prices on English
ferns. but our beautiful American ferns are
almost unknown. owing probably to the
lack Of attractive AMI inexpensive fcrn
literature. There are many cheap hand
hooks on our birds, butterflies, trees and
flowers, hut with the exception OF Mr., Will
lonlsons work nothing has come with sui.
rcient text and literature as to be within
the reach of the brains and purses 81 tho
everyday fern lover Ferns of North
America" by Eaton, is entirely out of the
question on account of It's elnhoratencss
and expense. Several other more or less
pretentjous publications have been given
us on forms but thcy lack either one thing
ar another to make them attractive. Either
they are wanting in text and are not ll'us
trated or else ,hcy are gro technical aud
have nothing else 10 commend them,
Thus II seems that the Scrlbner book,
"How to Know Ferns NV r, T. Parsons,
seems 10 nll the hill entirely II Is tech,
rical without being ohtrusvo; II is simple
and plain without losing strength. apd II
is beautifully and profuscy Illustrated.
Among other things contained In the at.
tractive description OF How to Know
Ferns" Is tho interesting stetHnent that
one who cares tn make the trial can with
this hooks assistance In an ordinary walk
Of m hour through the hclds or woods
famlllnrlze ones self with from ten TO if
teen varieties Of the ferns treated. Or dur,
ing summer holiday in an average 10
cality one should learn to know by sight
from twenty-five to thirty ferns while In
a good neighhorhood the enthusiast may OK
tend his knowledge Of ferns we'll into the
forties. Charles thomas Logan.