WARDIAN CASES AND FERNERIES. 39 



But after a while, the case did not work as well as I expected. 

 The Draccuna grew brown on the ends of the leaves, and gradually 

 the whole leaf decayed. The ferns did not do well at all, but 

 damped off till I grew quite discouraged. I continued to replace 

 the decayed plants by others, with no better results. I thought 

 the trouble might be caused by want of heat, as the room at night 

 and on Sundaj-s, when I was not on hand to look after the fires, 

 might become quite cool. With this thougbt came the idea of 

 beating the case. I had made at the tinman's a small boiler hold- 

 ing a gallon of water ; behind the case near the floor, I placed a 

 gas jet, and over this the boiler, removing a panel from the box of 

 the case, then fitting it so that it could be opened or closed at 

 pleasure. The inner box, containing the soil, being eleven inches 

 deep, left a space of twelve inches underneath ; in this space 1 

 placed tubing enough to extend completely round the case, and to 

 connect with the boiler outside. All seemed to work like a charm ; 

 a regular flow of hot water circulated through the case, but the 

 gas was uncertain, having a strong inclination to go out occasion- 

 ally, leaving a leaking burner so near the case that the plants suf- 

 fered from it ; consequently this was abandoned. I then went to 

 work to ventilate the case, giving a little air at a time, till at last 

 I removed the square of wood from the roof, and replaced it with 

 a piece of plate glass, which I could remove wholly or in part, and 

 this, with the aid of the panel which was opened for heat, furnished 

 the means for ventilation. I soon saw that it was the one thing 

 needed ; everj'thing worked well from this time. Occasionally a 

 plant would become unsightly, and have to be removed ; but on 

 the whole it was a success. Maranta sanguinea became a beauti- 

 ful plant ; Dieffenhachia picta, a wonder in color ; Maranta ze- 

 hrina grew luxuriantly, its large velvety leaves attracting all who 

 cariae into the room. Sanseviera Zeylanica made considerable 

 growth, sending up several new shoots. Pandanus Javankus did 

 well through the summer and autumn, but damped ofl" considerably 

 in winter. My success with ferns was not so marked as in smaller 

 cases by themselves. 



The experience with this case convinced me that Wardian cases 

 Should be treated as miniature greenhouses, and that close cases 

 might answer for some plants, but not as a rule to be generally 

 followed. I have made many cases since this, and always con- 

 structed them on this principle. I would not accept a case as 



