171 



When dry. paste some dark paper over it, so as to cover 

 the cloth, also around the top plate of glass to prevent 

 the edge from cutting your hands ; no cloth is necessary 

 for this. Fill and oil the black Avalnut raouldins:, and 

 the case is complete. 



A still more simple one is to tar the inside and paint 

 the outside of a shallow pine box, and place the glass 

 directly inside it. If you intend purchasing a hand- 

 some case, it will be better to have one made to order, as 

 all the ready made ones usually oiiered for sale have the 

 case poorly and incorrectly constructed in more ways than 

 one ; nearly all have tlat tops, to be avoided where there 

 is woodwork (the home made case having no woodwork 

 at the top, it is not a disadvantage). One advantage 

 possessed by the expensive case is that the whole top 

 takes oflf, enabling you to work all around and not entirely 

 from overhead. Here you may construct ruins, grottos, 

 arches, etc., Avith pumice and cement; pumice is so light 

 that it adds but little weight to the case, and the cement 

 will bind the whole together as firmly as one rock, all at 

 a very slight expense, at the same time adding much to 

 the beauty of the interior. Very neat circular cases are 

 for sale at the stores, and can be filled so as to be very 

 attractive ; they can also be used as fern nurseries. To 

 do this, make the earth damp and firm on toj^, havino" 

 first placed a few small pieces of broken flower pots in 

 the upper soil. Take a leaf of some fern, or several dif- 

 ferent species of ferns, if you desire, that have the fruit 

 quite ripe ; this can be discovered by shaking over white, 

 paper, when, if ripe, a brown powder will come ofl'; 

 these are the spores or seeds. Dust these over the pre- 

 pared earth, replace the glass, and leave the case in a 

 warm shady corner. In a i'ew weeks, if not permitted 

 to become dr}^ a green scum will appear, which in time 



