ON GROWING PLANTS IN WARD'S CASES. 



403 



Fig. 50.— Ward's Cass 



We have thus answered the query — how 

 are the cases constructed, and proceed to the 

 second question — what kmd of plants may 

 be most successfully grown in them ? We 

 do not know that we can better answer this 

 question, than by giving an extract from a 

 letter, written to Dr. Lindley by Dr. Har- 

 ris, of Dumfries, a devoted horticulturist, 

 and a very successful grower of plants in 

 these " miniature green-houses." 



" I am convinced they will come more 

 and more into general use, the better their 

 capabilities are developed. The best guide 

 to find out what may be done by them, is to 

 know what has already been done. I am 

 therefore induced to send you some account 

 of mine ; reserving a more particular de- 

 scription to some future time. I have, at 

 present, in bud and in bloom, Caltleya For- 

 besii, C. Loddegesii, Gloxinia maxima alba. 

 Gloxinia speciosa — two plants, Achimenes 

 coccinea, A. longiflora, Thunbergia alata, 

 white and pink double Oleanders, Cattleya 

 crispa, Cypripedium insigne, Dendrohimii 

 ciiculatum, Leptotes bicolor, Brassia Lan- 

 ccana^ Oncidium jiexuosum , O.papilio, Max- 

 illaria stapelioides, Starihopea grandijlora, 

 Ccelogyne fimbriata, Oncidium viperinum, 

 Dendrobmm specios7im, D. cupreum, D.fim- 

 Iriatum, D. piilckellum, Alaxillaria Harris- 



Fig. 5l.— \Vard^s Case. 



soni(B, Crinum longifolium. Gloxinia rubra, 

 Gesneria elongata, Lalia anceps, Stephano- 

 tis floribundus, Hoya carnosa, Cypripedium 

 venustum, jEceocladus maculata, and a 

 Galeandra. So congenial does the atmos- 

 phere appear to be, that most of the plants 

 are growing vigorously. Gloxinia leaves 

 take root in three weeks, and form tubers 

 the size of a pea in six. Portulacca Thel- 

 lusonii and Petunia magna rosea rooted in 

 a fortnight. You will see by the above list 

 that my box is not a little elegant drawing- 

 room ornament ; it stands six feet high, is 

 four feet broad, and two feet wide; has a 

 door at one end, two shelves inside, and as 

 many hooks at the top as possible for sus- 

 pending the Orchidacece. During the sum- 

 mer, the temperature has never been below 

 65°, Fah.; and two hours sunshine raises it 

 to 90°. The window in which it stands 

 looks S.S. W." In addition to the above. Dr. 

 Lindley thus replies to a correspondent's 

 inquiries : "^«i/ plants will succeed in these 

 contrivances (Ward's Cases) under good 

 management, provided they do not grow 

 too large. Everything depends on a correct 

 appreciation of their principle. Some ig- 

 norant persons fancy they must be air-tight, 



