104 FERNS IN THEIR HOMES AND OURS. 



hang up a basket of cocoanut shell or husk, or of 

 bark, with a fern growing in it. The Tillandsia 

 (often miscalled Southern long moss) sometimes 

 grows well thus suspended from the top. Orchids 

 are very interesting, but require more room than 

 can generally be spared for them ; and, besides, 

 they are too valuable to risk in a fernery, if we 

 have a greenhouse in which they may be kept. 

 Whatever is added, do not introduce too great 

 a variety of objects. Remember that it is a 

 fernery, not a curiosity-box, of which we are 

 speaking. 



In allusion to the ornaments which are often 

 placed in ferneries, Williams says, "Care must 

 be taken, however, that such things are not studied 

 at the expense of the ferns or other plants. The 

 error of fitting up a fern-case with a quantity of ob- 

 jects of curiosity, such as fossils, shells, minerals, 

 &c., is one too often fallen into, and the ferns 

 become only of secondary importance." Eastlake 

 would give us the same advice, not only in regard 

 to the contents of the case, but its construction 

 as well. If the case is to be a fernery, build it, 

 no matter how little or how great you make its 

 cost, to contain ferns, so that they will be the ob- 

 jects first considered when looking at the case. 

 Over-adornment, inside or out, is in bad taste ; 

 and too much woodwork in proportion to the 

 glass shows wrong ideas in construction. Fern- 



