76 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



size they attain, they bring them home and plant in the case. They 

 are no sooner planted than the fronds spread out, touch the sides of 

 the case, and instead of growing in a natural manner, run along the 

 side of the glass, or are bent over at the top, and in both instances 

 have anything but an elegant appearance. To avoid this, it is essen- 

 tial that the ferns, when fairly developed, will just fill the glass, and 

 which, moreover, can be kept to the desired size by the removal of a 

 few of the outside fronds. One of the best is the maidenhair fern, 

 which is known in the books as Adiantmn cuneatum. If you only 

 grow one fern, this should be selected in preference to all others, 

 for it is easy to manage, and the favourite of everyone. Adiantum 

 setulosum is another useful fern of a similar character to the pre- 

 ceding, and very beautiful. The sea spleenwort, Asplenmniraarlnum, 

 and Scolo])endrlum vulgare ramo-marglnatum, are quite distinct from 

 the preceding, and remarkably beautiful. The green spleenwort, 

 Asplenium viride, and Duodia caudata, are two pretty little ferns, 

 admirably adapted for planting under small shades. These six will 

 be quite sufficient for a beginner, as only one plant should be put 

 under each, excepting when the small growers are put under large 

 glasses, and then three or four plants of the same sort should be 

 put together. I have acted upon the advice given in the " Fern. 

 Garden," and have covered the surface with a dwarf-growing lycopod, 

 or selaginella, and the effect is very beautiful, as the green ground- 

 work shows off the elegant fronds of the ferns much better than the 

 brown soil. 



In preparing the pans, I put first of all a layer of charcoal, in 

 lumps, and cover it with moss. The gardener, meanwhile, prepares 

 a mixture of peat and sand, by breaking the peat up into rather 

 small lumps, and then mixing the sand with it. To this is added 

 the dust and small nodules of charcoal, left after the larger lumps 

 have been put in the bottom of the pans. The latter are then filled 

 with soil, and the ferns are planted in the centre, and after the soil 

 has been pressed moderately firm, the lycopod is dibbled over the 

 surface ; usually little tufts are put at a distance of about three 

 inches apart. They soon take possession of the soil and spread over 

 the surface, and form a carpet of the most exquisite greenery. The 

 lycopod I have found to succeed best is the one found in the cata- 

 logues as Selaginella denticulata. A good potful of this, obtained 

 from a nursery, would furnish a supply sufficient for several pans. 



The management of the cases is kept entirely in my own hands, 

 and as I take a great interest in them, they are examined frequently. 

 The soil is maintained in a nice moist state, at all seasons of the 

 year; but much moister during the warm summer weather than 

 in the winter. It is impossible to say how often water should 

 be applied, for some kinds require more than others, and plants of 

 the same sort vary in their requirements. The only advice that can 

 be given is to recommend regular examination, and to water when 

 the soil is becoming dry. Some ladies consider it necessary to apply 

 water frequently, and in small quantities, but the practice is most 

 hurtful to the ferns, for the soil soon becomes saturated on the 

 surface, and remains dry underneath. The ferns may be sprinkled 



