106 THE FORCING GARDEN. 



but never to face full south. Let amateurs and young 

 gardeners take a walk along some lane or by-road where 

 Ferns ^row naturally, and they will no doubt see them 

 on both sides of the lane, growing on the banks ; one 

 side may be facing the sun all day, the other will be 

 facing the north, where no sun can come to them. No\v 

 just observe the difference of colour in the same species ! 

 Those growing where the sun plays upon them are 

 stunted and brown ; the others on the opposite side are 

 so far different in character and colour that one is ready 

 to conclude that the same varieties are two different 

 species. Now this should be a lesson in the culture of 

 all Ferns, whether hardy or not. I have always found 

 that when Ferns under glass are much exposed to a 

 strong light, they are of a less deep green in colour than 

 when shaded. 



The Fern tribe may be partly compared to the Heath 

 family in the matter of water. If a Heath gets 

 thoroughly dry through the ball, nothing can save that 

 plant from death ; but it is not quite the same with the 

 Fern, for if one of the latter gets thoroughly dry a few 

 times, it is ten to one if it lives ; certainly the present 

 Fronds will die off, and perhaps the root too. Ferns 

 luxuriate in a brisk moist heat ; but they may be grown 

 without much heat I mean the greenhouse sorts but 

 it is necessary to be provided with some means of heating 

 the house, to ward off frosts. 



When a fernery is to be built, if it must be facing 

 the south, which sometimes cannot be avoided in the 

 case of amateurs, the top of the house should be double 

 glazed, the top or outside layer of glass being of a pale 

 green colour, and the under layer being of white glass. 

 I recommend double glazing, because then, amateurs 



