WARDIAN CASES AND FERNERIES. 205 



in many places liberal prizes are given by the horticul- 

 tural societies to those that are best cultivated. 



Prizes are also offered for the best window-grown plants, 

 and in Hull and some other towns, plants are distributed 

 and printed instructions given for culture to encourage 

 the taste. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



WAKDIAN CASES, FERNERIES, &c. 



The Wardian Case is usually made with black walnut 

 base lined with zinc, in depth about 6 inches, and about 2 

 feet square on the sides ; but it is made of various sizes. 

 The covering is a glass case, made usually 18 inches 

 high ; the top or lid, also of glass, is made movable, so 

 that ventilation is provided, and undue moisture allowed to 

 escape. The plants grown in "Wardian Cases are such 

 as are peculiar for beauty of foliage rather than flower 

 plants whose natural habitat is shady woods; such as 

 Ferns, Lycopodiums, Caladiums, Marantas, &c., &c. The 

 soil used in such a case may be light peat or leaf- 

 mould ; nothing of a stiff or heavy nature of a soil should 

 be used. The case may be kept in any ordinary sitting- 

 room, near the window, but not exposed to the direct 

 sunlight. There is no trouble whatever in management ; 

 one moderate watering when the case is filled will keep it 

 without further attention for six weeks, except an oc- 

 casional ventilation when moisture lies heavy on the glass. 

 In winter the temperature of the room may run from 50 

 to 65 at night. The culture of Ferns or Lycopods re- 

 quires somewhat similar conditions as are found in the 

 Wardian Case ; they can not be successfully grown unless 



