12 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



inches. Compared with some common 

 fern shades which I have in useheside 

 the vase, the advantage of ventilation 

 in the latter is evidenced in the glass 

 being at all times undimmed, even after 

 watering, and if it should be neglected 

 for awhile, there is none of the havoc 

 visible, which damp is sure to effect 

 under a neglected bell-glass, or any 

 other air-tight contrivance; and 

 though the plants require watering 

 more frequently, about once a month, 

 is enough in winter, and once a week, 

 in the height of summer. The top 

 of the lantern inside is furnished with 

 four hooks, for suspending ferns in 

 small pots, bark, or cocoa-nut shells. 



I planted this case last May, with 

 a few select exotic ferns, and their 

 rapid growth, and present (December) 

 healthy appearance, surpass any ex- 

 ample I have ever had, on the close 

 method of treating YVardian cases; 

 indeed, if it had not been treated 

 throughout, as a miniature greenhouse, 

 one half of them must by this time 

 have perished, because, at least, four 

 delicate specimens were introduced, 

 which will neither bear excess of mois- 

 ture, nor dryness, and to which a full 

 supply of fresh air is indispensable, not 

 only for health, but for life. In planting, 

 a layer of small cinders was first laid 

 over the perforated bottom of the 

 soil pan, and upon these, two inches 

 of small crocks and rough charcoal, of 

 the size of hazel-nuts. Upon this was 

 placed a thin layer of rough turfy peat, 

 to prevent the finer compost from 

 getting down among the drainage ; and 

 then the compost for the ferns was 

 worked in together with a few pieces 

 of rock, so as to leave the surface after 

 planting, in the form of a hillock, 

 rising in the centre some three inches 

 higher than the sides. The compost 

 was made of turfy peat, well broken 

 up, about four parts ; silver-sand, three 

 parts ; broken charcoal, of the size of 

 peas and hazel-nuts, one part ; leaf 

 mould one part ; and a little very old 

 powdery dung and rotten wood — but, 

 turfy peat, charcoal, and silver-sand, 

 would always do without particular need 

 for the other ingredients. As a matter 

 of course, the compost was not sifted, 

 but well worked with the hand ; and 



when ready, was of a free gritty 

 character, and would scarcely soil the 

 hand when moderately moist. Com- 

 post which becomes pasty when wetted, 

 is quite unfit for growing ferns. 



The following Ferns and Lycopods 

 were planted : — In the centre Gonio- 

 phlebium lorieeum, a fast growing, and 

 almost hardy fern, closely allied to the 

 Polypodies ; it has curious snake-like 

 creeping root-stems, and its fronds rise 

 from a central crown, and arch over 

 on all sides very gracefully. As to the 

 height, it is most accommodating, for 

 though it rises eighteen or twenty 

 inches high, it may be reduced by a 

 clip of the scissors, without at all in- 

 terfering with its beaut}'. It spreads 

 fast, by means of its root- stems, and 

 my case is now full of young plants, 

 which will require to he removed in 

 spring. Around this are Lastrea 

 glabella, very neat and free growing ; 

 Campy loneurum angustifolium, fCyrto- 

 pklebium angustifolium, of Sims' cata- 

 logue,) a very distinct and curious 

 fern, with rich dark green undivided 

 fronds of a hard texture ; JDavallia 

 dissecta, a relative of the hare's foot 

 fern, but of more delicate growth ; 

 Aneimidictyon phi Uitidis, which has fer- 

 tile stems springing from the junction 

 of the lowest pair of the divisions of 

 its leaf-like fronds; Pteris crenata, 

 the fertile fronds rising a foot high, 

 in very regular, tail-like divisions; and 

 lastly, the scarce and beautiful Cheilan- 

 thes farinosa, a better silver fern for 

 Wardian cases than any of the Gymno- 

 grammas, and, in its curious beaut}', un- 

 surpassed ; but none of its tribe will 

 bear either excessive dryness or exces- 

 sive moisture, hence, on the close-case 

 plan, they perish in a week or two. The 

 soil is surfaced with Selaginella upoda, 

 and S. variabilis, which have spread 

 freely, and the fragrant Thymus Corsica, 

 which certainly has not thriven, 

 though one or two sprays are left, and 

 may spread next spring. 



In the lantern above, are four very 

 choice subjects: Camptotorus rhyzo- 

 phyllus spreads its unique and hardy 

 fronds over a minute case of bark ; 

 Asplenium flabellifolium riots in a 

 bunch of moss, and multiplies rapidly 

 by forming young plants, at the 



