THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 245 
fitted for close cases, and their growth is much more rapid than 
when grown outside. I usually combine them with ferns in the 
arrangement of a case, and think the effect is much better for the 
combination. 
The F%ttonias are another class of plants which are favourites 
with me. Their bright crimson and silver veinings are a great 
acquisition to the fernery, lighting it up wonderfully, and seemingly 
never out of place, no matter what the size of the case may be. They 
also make superb plants by themselves. I once had a plant of F. 
gigantea which filled a shade twelve inches in diameter and fourteen 
inches high. It was the finest plant of the kind I ever met with. 
Its habit became erect, and the colour of the foliage seemed very 
much more brilliant than we ordinarily find it. But the variety is 
too coarse to be grown satisfactorily with small ferns. F'. Pearcez 
is the best for all purposes; being a vigorous grower, a mere scrap 
soon produces a good plant, and it will live under almost any treat- 
ment in a close case. Its habit is not so recumbent as when 
grown without. . argyroneura is very beautiful; but it has one 
fault—that of damping off when it is chilled, thus spoiling it for 
winter use, unless in a very warm situation; but it is just the plant 
for summer use. There are so few plants of a white or silvery ap- 
pearance suitable for this purpose that I use the Fittonia argyroneura 
as long as the foliage will hang together, and then replace it with 
something else. 
A few weeks since, I had the good fortune to be shown a plant 
of Todea superba, growing ina Wardian case. The case was about 
two feet square, and as many feet high, with a flat top. A pan about 
eight inches in diameter, filled with this truly superb plant, in 
vigorous growth, occupied the centre. Other filmy ferns were 
planted out in the case, but this, the grand object of the whole, was 
elevated several inches above the others, showing conspicuously its 
full beauty. An English author says of it, “ Delicate and fragile, 
with its semi-transparent fronds, it looks like tufts of the most beau- 
tiful sea-weed, plucked from the decorations of a mermaid’s ocean 
home.” I have seen larger plants of this species, but none in such 
fine condition. It was grown ina cool room, near a west window, the 
light partly obscured by a drawn shade. This plant is just the thing 
for a large fern shade, as it needs as little airas the Selaginellas, very 
little light, and a cool situation, and when once established, needs 
but little attention. The filmy ferns are eminently fitted for grow- 
ing singly in cases by themselves. The only objection is the expense 
of many of them; but I would rather have one plant of Zodeu superba 
than dozens of ordinary ferns. 
Generally too many and too large plants are crowded into the 
fernery, giving it a heavy and unsightly appearance, and filling the 
shade completely at the outset, without room for further growth. 
Dracenas and other plants of this kind make a fine display in the 
Wardian case, but are certainly out of place under a glass shade. I 
know it is very difficult even for those too who are not wanting in 
taste in other matters to understand this. 
There are very few foliage plants that can be introduced into the 
August. 
