134 WINDOW GARDENING. 



and open or are closed by a little button fastener. The size is as follows : Height 

 of vase and glass, 5 feet 9 inches ; width of vase, 2 feet ; height of glass frame, 3 

 feet. In the top of the glass frame Mr. Hibberd suspended four half cocoanut 

 shells, in which he planted some ferns; holes are cut in the bottom for drainage; 

 and copper wire only used for hanging them. The contents are thus described 

 by Mr. Hibberd in his i^loral World : " This case contains at the present time 

 two pretty chmbing plants ; one is the common Ivy of the British woods, Hedera 

 helix ; the other is Lijgodium scandens, an elegant climbing fern. The palm- 

 like fern in the centre is Nephrole^iis exaltata — the finest fern in the world for a 

 centre piece; both because of its character and also that it may be cut without 

 spoiling it, if it happens to grow too tall. With it are examples of Pteris cre- 

 tica albo-lineata, an elegant variegated fern ; Niphobohis lingua — a hardy tongue- 

 like fern ; Onychium Japonicum, most delicately divided ; Pteris crenata, Las- 

 trea glabella, Doodiacaudata, Aspleniumviride, and some bits of Selaginellas , 

 Anemone nemorosa, and a few Mosses. 



The Ivy gained a footing quite by accident. This, with other of our cases, is 

 frequently exhibited. On one occasion, in preparing some cases for a festive 

 meeting, we introduced into this a number of little twigs of common Ivy among 

 the ferns. The case was left undisturbed afterwards, and then on removing the 

 Ivy one of them was found to have rooted. It was allowed to remain and it 

 soon formed a rich shell on one side of the glass, without robbing a single fern of 

 a ray of light. There it remains to this day ; it is now some nine years old as an in- 

 habitant of this case, and is as vigorous as ever. A few lengths of fine copper 

 wire serve to train the Ivy and the lygodium, which add very much indeed to 

 the beauty of this little garden. This case stands in the window, and has only 

 the warmth of an ordinary room in winter. 



For a fern case to stand in the sunshine all the time, and with a room of high 

 temperature, choose the following tender ferns : In the centre place a fine plant 

 of the CJieilanthes farinosa ; then add here and there Anemidictyon, phyllitidis, 

 Olfe7'sia cervina, Diplazium radicans, Asplenium fragrans, Lomaria attenu- 

 ata, Pteris calomelanos, Fadyenia prolifera, and a few tufts of the Selaginella 

 caesium and S. laevigata.'' 



Among fern decorations nothing is so striking, and yet so novel, as the fire 

 brick. For filling a vacant fire place and making tbe screen appear ornamental, 

 nothing is of better fitness. They are the invention of a phy.sician, Dr. G. 

 Churchill Watson, of Chester, England, and so constructed as to fit into the sides 

 of walls of conservatories, ferneries and greenhouses, afibrding a convenient 

 method of rendering a blank wall useful as well as ornamental. They are made 

 of porous material, usually pottery, and round or oval shaped, with a concave 

 centre, in which may be placed wet ferns, mos.ses or Lycopodiums. They arc of 

 different sizes, from oh. inches in diameter to 14 inches, and adapted to the place 

 where they are most needed. The largest can be used to fit into the niche of an 

 unused fire place, and the smaller ones can be used to fit the niches of a fern col- 

 umn or pillar. A fern pillar is one of the curiosities our parlor gardeners do not 



