THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GDIDE. 



G9 



not too large to be moved about, they may be employed to embellish 

 the drawing-room on occasions when special embellishment is 

 required, and be taken away when the occasion has gone by. It 

 will be seen by the figure that the glass is held in an extremely 

 light framework, and it is this which especially distinguishes the 

 make, for, generally speaking, the framework is too heavy, and 

 when it is much ornamented it is apt to be hideous. In judging at 

 exhibitions, we have many a time startled and vexed manufacturers 

 by withholding prizes from huge, cumbrous, much-ornamented fern 

 cases. It is astonishing how ready people are to forget that the 

 jewel is of more importance than the case in which it is kept. We 

 do not want heavily-ornamented fern-cases and aquaria, but we do 

 want simple elegance, combined with strength, and the greatest 

 capacity possible, consistently with the measurement. The case 

 here figured is as strong as need be. We have not seen it sur- 

 passed in beauty of appearance, and it suits the ferns admirably. 



BARE AXD SUGDEN S FEHN CASE. 



The soil used in the planting of these cases is a mixture of 

 pounded charcoal and cocoa-nut fibre. This answers admirably 

 when the cases are prepared for exhibition. Now it should be 

 known to persons who admire fern cases at exhibitions that the 

 rules do not require that the ferns have been grown in them. Con- 

 sequently, the exhibitor selects from a stock of first-class pot ferns 

 those that will make a telling group, and having knocked them out 

 of the pots, plants them in the cases, and exhibits them in the most 

 perfect condition. But they cannot be kept in this condition, and 

 those who buy them must expect them to decline in beauty. How- 

 ever they are well worth having for all that. If the selection is a 

 good one, and a compost be used consisting of turfy peat, three parts, 

 silver sand, one part, and pounded charcoal, one part, the ferns will 

 thrive, and look well at all seasons, and some day they will, in con- 

 March, 



