A FERN PARADISE AT HOME. 109 



proper development are often beyond the reach 

 of the poor : and no one brings the ropts of wild- 

 flowers into our towns. If they were brought 

 hither they would pine away, perhaps more 

 quickly than our garden flowers ; and they at 

 least would not thrive any better in the absence 

 of that one vitalising element sun. But ferns 

 that grow in wild woods, and open plains, are in 

 the free right of all who choose to gather them. 

 They are gathered sometimes and brought into 

 our towns and cities by itinerant vendors ; but you 

 seldom see them in the dwellings of the poor. 

 They nevertheless might be there. If there were 

 a demand the poor purveyors of the poor would 

 soon bring a supply from the free wild country 

 where they grow ; and there would be that 

 demand if the poor knew more about these lovely 

 plants. 



Ferns will grow where flowering plants would 

 perish. They require moisture and shade not 

 stagnant, but percolating moisture. Place them 

 where you will on the floor, on the table of a 

 dimly-lighted room, in the sunless window-sill, in 



