Xll OUT-DOOR CULTIVATION. 



vidual species, and as far as possible imitating their 

 accustomed conditions. 



To those who are fortunate enough to live away 

 from the smoke and noise of great cities, an open ail 

 fernery will afford much delight. To such we would 

 say, choose a sheltered and shady situation if under 

 the defence of a wall the better, and one looking 

 north or west. Make up your raised bed with a light 

 soil, largely intermixed with frequent rough porous 

 stones. Front it with rock-work, wherein to fix, 

 especially, the smaller and wall kinds ; the larger and 

 more feathery being of course placed behind in the 

 bed itself. Set them not in too closely together, and 

 remember that those having creeping roots will often 

 extend themselves, and reappear in adjacent spots. 

 If the ground slopes too much, many are inclined to 

 slide downward into the lower positions. Water 

 before planting, and from time to time as needed ; 

 but let there be opportunity of drainage, so that 

 the bed never becomes marshy or sour ; as though 

 Osmunda and Aspidium Thelypteris like this, and some 

 few others, as Blechnum, Aspidium spinulosum and 

 dilatatum, can endure it, to the majority it would be 

 injurious, if not fatal. Should the heat of summer be 

 too great, and shrivel up any of the tender plants, 

 they may be restored, and kept in order by duly 

 watering at night. The wild plants may be removed 

 at any season of the year, though the autumn is the 

 fittest. In the winter many will have died down, till 

 hardly discernible, except to a practised eye. A fresh 

 addition of peat, or leaf-mould, seems to be the only 



