294 OBSERVATIONS UPON, AND CULTURE OF, FERNS. 



podiums are especially pretty in the distinct coloured round patches, 

 and Adiantums, with darker irregular ones; not one of the whole 

 tribe hut in these respects are exquisitely beautiful. 



The Ferns are singularly useful for flourishing in shady situations, 

 where scarcely any other plants will thrive. For ornamenting roclc- 

 work ; for covering old walls, or otherwise unsightly ones ; for grow- 

 ing in rustic baskets, or on logs of wood, suspended in plant-houses, 

 in which mode the under side, where what is commonly termed the 

 flowers are disposed, is very distinctly to he seen ; for growing 

 amongst some of the kinds of orchidetc, to hide the naked stems; for 

 decorating any kind of rustic work ; for planting amongst the shrubs 

 in a conservatory, in order to enliven the surface of the border by 

 their exquisite evergreen, which at all times is delightful to the eye. 



I find that all Ferns flourish best in shade, hence those grown in 

 the open air should be placed so as to be shaded from the sun during 

 the heat of the day, and better still if there be a northern aspect to a 

 rockery, and allow them the advantage of it. In many cases the 

 shade of a grotto, summer-house, back of a wall, rocks or large irre- 

 gular roots, or canopy of trees, supply very suitable situations for 

 growing them in. In fact, where the direct beams of the midday 

 sun do not shine upon them, the greater portion will flourish in 

 luxuriance, and finely exhibit their beauty. In rockeries situated in 

 the open air, they form admirable companions to mosses, lichens, &c. 

 They are, too, the greatest ornaments to a rockery in the stove or 

 "leenhouse. I have a plant stove which is formed so that I have a 

 four-feet pathway up the centre, and a raised stage for plants on 

 each side. At the upper end of the house I have a tank, which forms 

 a half circle, and water-plants are grown in it; and it contains a 

 variety of gold and silver fish, &c. The end wall, which forms the 

 back of the tank, was constructed of very irregular-faced portions of 

 old rock, which I selected, being scattered about, in an unfrequented 

 wood. They were covered over with moss, lichen, &c. I had them 

 so disposed in the wall as to form bold outlines, and suitable interstices 

 to deposit soil, &c, in which to grow ferns, mosses, &c, in order to 

 "ive shade to them. I had canvass at first, and then had some 

 climbers planted, which now spread wholly over the under side of the 

 roof. The moisture, too, arising from the water in the tank con- 

 tributes very essentially to their success. I have omitted to s'.ate 



