152 FERNS IN THEIR HOMES AND OURS. 



are useful to assist in keeping moist the earth 

 about the ferns, and to hide the bare surfaces 

 of rocks. For the fern-case they are not to 

 be strongly recommended : they harbor insects 

 which will devour the young fern-fronds as they 

 unroll. But in the open fernery, or out of doors, 

 they can be made of inestimable service, and add 

 much to the appearance of the collection. If 

 grown by themselves during the winter in a shal- 

 low glazed case, they are very interesting. The 

 writer once had a mossery instead of a fernery ; 

 and with care taken to keep it cool, and give it 

 enough ventilation, the plants were in excellent 

 condition the season through, both growing well, 

 and fruiting. Many of the larger species of Hyp- 

 num are beautiful, and the close-growing species 

 of the same genus are valuable for a lining to 

 hold the earth in place in the wire baskets for 

 hanging plants. The Polytrichums and Dicranums 

 of the larger mosses, and Bryums, Mniums, and 

 Atrichums of the small ones, can be used in the 

 out-door fernery among the rocks and ferns. The 

 Sphagnum (bog-moss) is always in demand with 

 the gardener, on account of its usefulness in pack- 

 ing plants for transportation, and the many ways 

 in which he can turn its spongy structure to 

 account in his business. A very pretty fashion of 

 European origin has recently come to prevail at 

 horticultural exhibitions in Boston. Instead of 



