THE FERN HOUSE. 107 



can grow Ferns well, without much fire-heat, or none at 

 all during the summer. It looks expensive to double 

 glaze, but I am prepared to show that, on my plan of 

 < double glazing,' it is no more so than single glazing 

 as a rule. 



A fernery needs very little or no ventilation, except 

 when it is built facing the sun : then some top ventila- 

 tion is necessary for the summer, but none from Sep- 

 tember till April. If the roof is double glazed with clips 

 on the fixed vertical bar, and with green glass or the 

 top painted with semi-transparent paint laid on with a 

 large brush, very little trouble will arise in growing Ferns 

 successfully. They will, under these circumstances, 

 maintain a very even character, being attended by a 

 constant and equal temperature, which is the very thing 

 for them. During the winter months a few cinders or a 

 little coke should be put into a proper stove to keep 

 up a healthy temperature, when the most delicate classes 

 may be grown successfully. If the fernery has to be 

 built facing the south, be careful not to have the angle 

 of the roof of too sharp a pitch : an angle of 30 is 

 quite enough for such an aspect, but for a northern or 

 north-western one, an angle of 32 may be adopted, as 

 no sun can then get at the plants to affect them. If the 

 fernery is facing the north, it may be double glazed with 

 Belgium green glass or with common white, but it will 

 be found that they will do much better under green 

 glass than under white. 



It is necessary for trade purposes to stimulate ferns 

 as much as possible to keep up successional fronds for 

 cutting or for plants to supply customers. To do this, 

 different departments connected with Fern culture are 

 required ; one not too hot, for large specimens from 



