FERNS AND AQUARIA. 



congenial to the Ferns, and so arranged that the 

 soil in the apertures left at the top should not 

 become soddened by the water beneath, and that 

 only the ultimate filaments of the fibrous rootlets 

 of the flowerless plants should actually touch the 

 water. 



Where space allows, the end of a room lighted 

 by a window, or by a skylight (page 192), might be 

 transformed into a fernery and aquarium in one. 



The tank for holding the fish could in such a 

 case be placed some three or four feet above the 

 ground, water being supplied by a jet connected 

 with the main. At the back and at the sides of 

 the aquarium virgin cork receptacles may be 

 provided for Ferns; or, where the aquarium 

 stands close to the end wall of the room, rockery 

 may be constructed by the aid of cement. It 

 may be built up, in fact, from the floor of the 

 tank in such a way that its' base may provide 

 holes into which the fish may retire, and the 

 moisture perpetually rising from the surface of 

 the water will be found most congenial to the 

 growth of the Ferns in the rockery above. 



Amongst the prettiest contrivances lor asso- 



191 



