204 Greenhouse and 'Pot Plants. 



glazed or highly colored will be out of place, and will be liable to detract from the 

 quiet beauty of the little fernery. 



The best material for building up the rock work and arches is coke. Uy making 

 a thin mixture of cement and water, and dipping the coke in, a nice sober brown stone 

 is imitated, which will soon be covered with natural moss, adding much to its beauty. 

 Another article which I have used with good eifect is petrified moss. Fine speci- 

 mens of this may be procured at Danville, and at the Sangamon near at hand. 



Varieties of l<'cr>is to be Used, 



Our woods in this neighborhood are but poorly furnished with ferns — three species 

 being all I have been able to find, so far. One of them, the Maiden-hair Fern — 

 Adiaiitum fedatum — is very pretty in Cases ; the other two are rather too coarse for 

 that purpose. 



There are many native ferns in this country that would look well if they could 

 be procured ; but we have to wait until they have been sent to Europe, and returned 

 with big names attached, before they are appreciated. 



At the risk of being considered pedantic, I will append the names of a dozen 

 ferns that may be grown in a Case with ordinary care, and not requiring much arti- 

 ficial heat : 



Asplenium adiantum-nigrum ; Asplenium Nidus avis ; Adiantum cuneatum; Adi- 

 autum fulvum ; Doodia aspera ; Nephobolus lingua ; Onychium japonicum ; Pteris 

 albo-lineata ; Davallia dissecta ; Oleander nodosa ; Polypodium repens ; Scolopen- 

 driura vulgare. 



These are very ugly names for such pretty plants, but they will not appear so hard 

 when we become better acquainted with them. 



I will not try your patience by naming the many pretty mosses (or properly speak- 

 ing, Selaginellas) that help to beautify the Fern Case. Suffice it to say, they are 

 all worthy a place in our fernery. 



There is one more point that should not be forgotten : Keep them in the light, 

 but not in the sun. A north or west window will be found the best for them — a 

 situation where few other plants would thrive. 



G-reenliouse and Pot Plants. 



JOSEPH POLLARD, who has charge of the extensive Oreenhouses of Hon. 

 Alexander Mitchell, Milwaukee, presented a paper on Greenhouse and Pot 

 Plants, at the recent meeting of the Wisconsin State Horticultural Society, of which 

 the following is an abstract : 



"Greenhouses have now become as necessary to complete houses as parlors or 

 dining rooms. If possible they should be built in a warm, sheltered situation with 

 a south aspect. Every crevice should be well closed. Fire heat should be applied 

 by flues or hot water pipes, running them near the coldest parts of the house. 



Occasional syringing is very necessary when fire heat is used. On warm, sunny 

 days the top of the soil dries first, but in severe cold weather, where strong heat is 

 needed, pots dry first at the bottom, and plants may suiTer although syringed. 



