BULLETIN 



OF THE 



ESSEX: IISrSTITTJTE. 



Vol. 4. Salem, Mass., December, 1872. No. 12. 



One Dollar a Tear ia Advance. 10 Cents a Single Copy. 



EegullA.r Meeting, Monday, December 9, 1872. 



Meeting this evening at 7 30 o'clock. The President 

 in the chair. Eecords of preceding meeting read. 



The evening Avas occupied by the reading of a commu- 

 nication, by Mr. John Robinson, on 



FERNERIES, HOW TO M^VKE THEM, AND WHAT TO PUT IN THEM. 



Fern cases, or ferneries, as most of us call them, were 

 originally called Wardian cases, in honor of their inven- 

 tor, Dr. B. N. Ward of London, who published a book 

 upon the subject in 1842. These cases are only a modi- 

 fication of the handglass always used to force or protect 

 plants in the greenhouse or open air ; yet the placing of 

 this in a practical way renders it easy to import the plants 

 of foreign tropical countries, which otherwise could never 

 be seen here in a living state, besides enabling us to grow 

 at home as beautiful ferns and other delicate, moisture- 

 loving plants as are seen in the hot-house or conservatory. 



The fern case, as it comes from the cabinet-maker's, is 



Essex Inst. Bulletin. iv 22 



