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The Country GentlemarH s Magazine 



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FERNS FOR DRA WING-ROOM DECORATION. 



A FEW years ago, when the popular taste 

 for these gems of the vegetable world 

 increased, somewhat suddenly, to almoit a 

 mania, it was prognosticated by many of the 

 olden school who could see no beauty in any 

 plant which did not produce a gaudy flower, 

 that it was only a freak of fashion, and that 

 it would not be long ere the fickle goddess 

 would taboo them entirely, and we should 

 hear no more of the beauties of Ferns. Hap- 

 pily, however, time has proved these would- 

 be-prophets wrong; for although the great 

 excitement in the public mind respecting 

 Ferns has subsided, they have, nevertheless, 

 gained a firm hold upon the hearts of all 

 lovers of the beautiful in Nature, even as the 

 wild ideality of a boyish love, which settles 

 down with the man into a stedfast, true, and 

 life-long joy. 



The love for the various forms of Ferns has 

 not been confined to those in possession of 

 plant-houses and gardens, nor to either sex 

 of amateurs, and thus the Wardian case has 

 been brought to aid the dwellers in towns 

 and cities to enable these charming plants to 

 be enjoyed even in the midst of our busiest 

 and most crowded thoroughfares. 



It is not my purpose to enlarge upon the 

 advantages of the Wardian case when properly 

 managed, but to endeavour to alleviate a want 

 which many of my fair friends have expressed 

 to me, and which may at the same time be 

 found worthy the attention of some of the 

 readers of this Magazine who may be 

 similarly situated. Many of my lady 

 friends complain somewhat in this way: — 

 " We have a Wardian case in which our 

 Ferns thrive admirably, but we should like 

 to distribute them about in various parts of 

 our drawing-room and boudoir, but they are 



not sufficiently robust to withstand the dry 

 atmosphere of the rooms when uncovered ; 

 and as we cannot tolerate glass shades in the 

 places which we desire to beautify with free 

 and graceful foliage, we are unable to fully 

 enjoy these plants to the extent those more 

 fortunate individuals can who ha.ve glass- 

 houses in which to arrange their collections." 

 To those of my fair readers similarly situated, 

 I would beg the honour of being allowed 

 to contribute to their happiness, by assuring 

 them that it is quite possible to use Ferns 

 for the decoration of apartments without in- 

 jury, and also without the objectionable stiff 

 and heavy appearance which too many glass 

 shades produce in any room — that is, always 

 providing a proper selection of sorts be 

 made. 



In order to enable Fern lovers, therefore, 

 to choose both wisely and well, I append a 

 brief descriptive 'list of kinds which thrive 

 under the somewhat unnatural conditions of 

 in-door life. 



Adiantiim cuncatum. — This species is very 

 extensively grown, both for the purpose of 

 cutting the fronds for bouquet-making and 

 the decoration of ladies' hair for evening 

 parties, and also as Wardian case plants ; it 

 is not, however, so generally known that it 

 produces an exquisite and pleasing effect 

 when used in the drawing-room without any 

 covering. The beautiful dark green wedge- 

 shaped pinnse or leaves are supported upon 

 slender jet-black stems, and form a most 

 graceful whole, rendering this species of 

 Maiden-hair Fern perhaps the most beautiful 

 of its race. In addition to this, its hardy 

 constitution should recommend it to the care 

 of all who desire a charming plant. 



A. affine, a more robust growing plant 



