THE WARDIAN CASE. 241 



of parlor culture would greatly injure or destroy, since 

 they are impatient of a dry heat. Delicate ferns and 

 lycopodia are at once destroyed by the dry atmosphere 

 of our parlors, but develop, in full beauty, in a Wardian 

 case. 



Again, you may succeed with them if you have but 

 little sun. This must recommend them to residents of 

 cities, where the sun often gives but little light in the 

 parlors, being shut off by high walls, and where win- 

 dow plants become weak and blanched, or are long- 

 drawn, ugly specimens, with weak, sickly blossoms. 



Another feature of a Wardian* case, which is a source 

 of unfailing delight. All well know that a winter bouquet, 

 as procured from a florist, in a few hours loses its fresh- 

 ness and beauty, and a few days are sufficient to convert 

 it into a dry, unsightly mass. If the bouquet be placed 

 inside a Wardian case it will preserve its freshness for a 

 long time. It is better, however, to arrange the flowers 

 in a shallow dish of water, taking care the petals do not 

 touch the water, as thus they would soon mould ; if the 

 stems are inserted in a dish of wet sand, or merely 

 in the earth of the case, it will answer every purpose. 

 Our only care with camellias is to place them on the surface 

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