136 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and in some cases closely resembling, their allies, the ferns, in 

 beauty of form and delicate, feathery appearance. They make 

 superb specimens, grown singly under a shade ; and I consider 

 this the most satisfactory way to grow them, having the case large 

 enough to fully develop their beauty of form and habit. Their 

 growth is generally quite rapid, and to any one who delights in a 

 well grown plant, the culture is worth trial. Selaginella Lyallii, 

 S. Africana, S. plumosa^ S. nmbrosa^ and S. triangularis^ make 

 quite large plants and are erect in habit. There are many others 

 usually found in plant catalogues, and as far as I have tested them 

 all are eminently fitted for close cases, and their growth is much 

 more rapid than when grown outside. I usuall^'^ combine them 

 with ferns in the arrangement of a case, and think the effect is 

 much better for the combination. 



The Fittonias are another class of plants which are favorites 

 with me. Their bright crimson and silver veinings are a great 

 acquisition to the fernery, lighting it up wonderfully, and seem- 

 ingly never out of place, no matter what the size of the case may 

 be. They also make superb plants by themselves. I once had a 

 plant of F. gigantea which filled a shade twelve inches in diameter 

 and fourteen inches high. It was the finest plant of the kind I 

 ever met with. Its habit became erect, and the color of the foliage 

 seemed very much more brilliant than we ordinarily find it. But 

 the variety is too coarse to be grown satisfactorily with small ferns. 

 The Wardian case is the more suitable place for it. F. Pearcei is 

 the best for all purposes ; being a vigorous grower, a mere scrap 

 soon produces a good plant, and it will live under almost any 

 treatment in a close case. Its habit is not so recumbent as when 

 grown without. F. argyroneiira is ver}^ beautiful, but it has one 

 fault, — that of damping off when it is chilled, thus spoiling it for 

 winter use, unless in a very warm situation, but it is just the plant 

 for summer use. There are so few plants of a white or silvery ap- 

 pearance suitable for this purpose, that I use the Fittonia argyro- 

 neura as long as the foliage will hang together, and then replace 

 it with something else. 



A few weeks since, I had the good fortune to be shown a plant 

 of Todea siiperha, growing in a Wardian case. The case was about 

 two feet square, and as many feet high, with a flat top. A pan 

 about eight inches in diameter, filled with this truly superb plant, 

 in vigorous growth, occupied the centre. Other film}'* ferns were 



