86 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



and refreshing influences around them. In such situations how freely they 

 grow, and develop their graceful foruas, arresting the attention of every person 

 who has an eye to beautiful form ! Even in the smoky town, how often do we 

 see some of them, in small glass cases, placed in the windows, as we pass along 

 the streets, and how very interesting they are to the tender and often delicate 

 hands that attend them ! Some Ferns thrive very well in such situations. 

 Many of our British Ferns are too large for growing in small cases in a parlour 

 window. Still we have seen a few very good selections for such a position, and, 

 when anything like well managed, they give a pleasing interest to a i)arlour 

 window. I will here name a few of those I have selected for such purposes, and 

 when they are taken while young, they will suit very well for a few years; and 

 they are by far better suited for planting into glass cases while they are young 

 than when they are old, because all their roots are close to the heart of the 

 plants, and are, moreover, free of any decaying nature in their centre, and are 

 more easily covered with soil, and they accommodate themselves farbetterto their 

 natural condition and habitation. One error we have often noticed in the manage- 

 ment of such cases has been the tendency to keep them shut up too closely. By 

 all means keep the dusty air of rooms entirely from them ; still there is a dif- 

 ference between doing so and that of shutting them entirely off from all external 

 air. Tropical Ferns, of course, require to be more closely nursed than British 

 ones. However, whether British or tropical, it is always well to shade them 

 from the hot sun during the middle of the day in summer. This can be done by 

 throwing a thin shading over the glass. It will depend much upon the size of the 

 case what selection of Ferns is most suitable to put into it ; and it is very advis- 

 ble that there be ample means of drainage, so that all unnecessary moisture can 

 pass freely oflF. Stagnant tainted water is at all times to be avoided even with such 

 moisture-loving plants as Ferns. For this purpose, we have used for the bottom 

 of cases a perforated sheet of iron, or a board having plenty of holes bored through 

 it ; and then, underneath this perforated bottom, have a case or pan of tin or zinc. 

 In the larger cases this can be made to be movable at pleasure. In the case of 

 globular glasses of 12 or 18 inches diameter, the receiver of all over-moisture 

 may be made like a common saucer to sit under the glass, and when it is neces- 

 sary to remove the moisture which has passed from the glass case, it is best to 

 lift the whole out from the pan. In the selection of Ferns for cases, it may be 

 well to bear in mind the habitats of the various Ferns, in other respects most 

 suitable for this purpose. For instance, those found growing in shady or par- 

 tially-shaded situations may prove more suitable than those found growing on the 

 top of old stone-and-lime walls, or on very dry banks, fully exposed to all the 

 dry influences of sun and air ; and yet some of those found growing in such situa- 

 tions, by their very distinct forms, are very interesting, and give variety. Al- 

 though we mention these peculiarities as belonging to difi"erent species, no doubt 

 every one may suit their own individual tastes in their selections. However 

 large or small any case may be, there should be in it a plant or two of Adiantum 

 capillus veneris (Maidenhair Fern, commonly called), Athyrium Filix fcemina 

 (or Lady Fern)— the younger these are the better — and some of the different 

 forms of Lastrea Filix mas, Lastrea dilatata, Lastrea thelypteris, and Lastrea 

 oreopteris, or Lastrea montana ; or some of the common Polypodium vulgare, 

 and the Scolopendrium vulgare, are very interesting in cases. Adiantum nigrum 

 is a pretty variety ; but as it likes a dry situation, it may not answer so well ; 

 and yet I have seen one large plant of this variety of British Fern look well 

 under cultivation. In this case, as in many instances, much depends on the 

 position, and the skill of the cultivator. 



