304 



GARDENING AS A SCIENCE. 



excluded from all air, did Mr. Ward suc- 

 ceed in growing not only " more than sixty 

 species of fern," (these are enumerated) but 

 he also grew Avith the like success, Oxalis 

 acetosella. Anemone nemorosa, Dentaria bul- 

 bifera, and a great many more. 



" The ferns, &c., may be placed in boxes 

 of any size or shape, furnished with glazed 

 sides and a glazed lid. The bottom of the 

 box should be filled with nearly equal por- 

 tions of bog-moss, vegetable mould, and 

 sand ; and the ferns, after planting, should 

 be most copiously watered, and the super- 

 fluous water allowed to drain off through 

 a plug-hole in the bottom of the box ; the 

 plug is then to be put in tight, the lid put 

 on, and no farther care is requisite than 

 that of keeping the box in the light. In 

 this way plants will grow for years without 

 any fresh supply of water.'''' 



In 1842, after Mr. Ward's plants had 

 been thus grown for eight years, the collec- 

 tion was inspected by Mr. Paxton. It 

 then consisted of glass cases, in the win- 

 dows facing the south, the enclosed atmos- 

 phere of which is sometimes raised by so- 

 lar heat to 100° ; also, " of a close sort of 

 fossil green-house at the back of the house, 

 glazed with puttied laps, which resembles 

 a kind of damp grotto. The external sur- 

 face of the lights was quite disfigured with 

 the soot which abounds in the atmosphere ; 

 yet in this gloomy and extremely damp 

 erection, ferns of all climates flourish in 

 verdant health; and not only ferns, but 

 Thunbergia, Begonia, Fuchsias, and other 

 plants, which are the ornaments of our 

 stoves and green-houses. In the cases, no 

 air can enter but what passes through the 

 mould; and yet, some Orchidaceae and 

 tropical plants thrive and even bloom, al- 

 though neither air has been admitted for 

 seven years, nor any water given for more 

 than five months." 



Now such facts as these are worth a host 

 of theories, and afford proof beyond all con- 

 troversy, that the free admission of air is 

 not indispensably necessary to healthy or 

 even luxuriant vegetation. During the 

 whole of last summer, we grew a collection 

 of plants in a " Ward's case," 4 feet long, 

 2 feet 6 inches wide, and 3 feet high. The 

 bottom of the case is 6 inches deep, and 

 lined with zinc ; it stands on castors, and 

 resembles a miniature conservatory. Our 

 plants are in pots, and these are the 

 names :■ — Alona ccelestis, Ahelia florihunda, 

 Statice Wildenovii, Berheris trifoliata, Po- 

 inciana Gilliesii, Jasminum afline, jJzalea 

 ovata, Echiveria rosea, Cereus crenatus, Po- 

 lypodeum aureum (fern), Platyceium aid- 

 come (fern), Maxillaria aromatica (orchid), 

 Camellia de la Peine, and a iew others. 

 These all flourished from April to October 

 without air or water, except what they re- 

 ceived when put in; and although the 

 habits of the plants are by no means the 

 same, each seemed to be as much " at 

 home" as could be desired. By accident, 

 the top of the case was badly broken, the 

 plants were removed to the green-house 

 and treated as usual ; since which time, 

 though all are in good order, yet they want 

 that clean and thrifty appearance so mani- 

 fest while they were in the case. For the 

 cultivation of plants in the parlor and draw- 

 ing-room, these cases are admirably well 

 adapted ; and if made with taste as they 

 should be for such uses, and filled with 

 carefully selected specimens, they would 

 soon become fashionable and very much 

 sought after. 



Air doubtless promotes the fecundity and 

 maturation of plants ; it checks luxuriant 

 growth, favors the development of the flo- 

 ral organs, promotes evaporation, and car- 

 ries off" moisture rapidly; but if we seek in 

 it the supply of nutrimental matter, we 



