206 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GCIDE. 



of facilitatini]^ the escape of the superfluous water ; and tlais is pro- 

 duced by tacking other boards, cut to form the desired slope, to the 

 bottom before tlie zinc is laid down. A small pipe, fitted wuth a 

 tap, is fixed in the lowest part of the case; and by placing a vessel 

 underneath the tap, shorth^ after the case has been watered, all the 

 superfluous water can escape ^yithout a drop touchiDg the carpet, 

 as when it ceases to run freely the tap can be shut. The sides and 

 ends consist of plain Irames to hold the glass ; and on the under 

 sides are fitted w^ith three and two pins each, respectively, to drop 

 iuto receptacles on the upper sides of the base, and are held together 

 with neat hooks at the corners. The top forming the cover is made 

 in precisely the same manner as the sides ; and the woodwork is 

 stained a dark oak. Cases of this description are exceedingly neat, 

 and cost very little indeed. 



In selecting the ferns, preference was given to the evergreen 

 species, because it is necessary that the case should present an 

 appearance as attractive during*the winter as it does in the summer. 

 Consequently many of the beautiful varieties of the Lady-fern were 

 passed by ; to omit them altogether was out of the question, and to 

 leave gaps in the winter was not desirable. I therefore celected 

 four of the strong-growing varieties, namely, Athjrium Jilix fcemina 

 corymhiferum, A. f. f. grandiceijs, A f. f. 'phimosum, and A. f. f. 

 Victories, and kept them in pots, and sunk them in the soil, so that 

 the bottoms of the pots rested on the crocks. In the autumn they 

 are lifted out and four strong plants of the common Hart's-tongue 

 are inserted in the vacant spaces, where they remain until the 

 following spring. I have a goodly number of the crested Scolo- 

 pendriums, and the long strap leaves of the common form contrast 

 well with them, although not possessing the lightness and elegance 

 of the fronds of the varieties of the Lady-fern enumerated above. 

 All the others were planted out and have made most satisfactory 

 progress since. A few that I purchased might have been done 

 without ; but the following are so good that they can be strongly 

 recommended, and one plant of eacli will su£Bc3 for planting a case 

 of the same size as mine. They are as follows: Asplenium adiantum 

 nigrum, a pretty little fern for planting in tufts round the outside, 

 and in pockets formed by projecting rockwork. Half-a-dozen plants 

 of this may be disposed of with advantage in a case of a moderate 

 size. A. irichomanes and A. viride are of a similar character to the 

 preceding, and the number, as above mentioned, of each would 

 suffice for giving a finish to the case. A. marinum, a moderate 

 grower, with fine dark fronds. The Athyriums, as already men- 

 tioned. Lastrea dilitata grandidens, L. filix raas cristata, L. f. ra. 

 grojidiceps, L. f. ra. pohjdacfi/la, Folijpodium vvJgare, P. v. cam- 

 hricinn, P. v. similacerum, Polysticliuin angidare SucTcleyanum, 

 P. a. cristatum, P. a. grandiceps, P. a. JVolluMoni, Scolopendrium 

 corymhiferum, S. crispum, S. lacerafum, S. raultifidiim, S. ramosum 

 majus. The above mentioned are all exceedingly beautiful, and 

 were selected from a stock comprising all the best Britishers in 

 cultivation ; nevertheless, I would advise those who intend fitting 

 up a case with them, to select the varieties they like best of the 



