i o Dwelling-houses. 



St. Petersburg, being in England on a botanical tour, 

 visited Doctor Ward in London. Surprised at the 

 appearance of this fern (which the Baron had vainly 

 attempted to cultivate), flourishing in a Ward-case 

 apparently in untoward circumstances, the enthu- 

 siast took off his hat and bowed low to the plant, 

 saying, " You have been my master all the days of 

 my life ! " Half a century ago Dr. Mackay, at our 

 Trinity College Botanic Gardens, grew this fern out 

 of doors in a pot plunged in a border covered with a 

 cap-glass, perhaps little thinking how soon, if ever, 

 it would flourish as it now does even in a garret in 

 any of our cities. Still, whilst millions of plants are 

 grown in rooms and windows, and a glazed case for 

 the purpose may be made at a trifling cost, it seems 

 surprising how few kinds we cultivate in this way, 

 compared with what are within reach. In the 

 autumn of the year 1872, some specimens of a 

 spotted variety of what is commonly called the Arum 

 lily, by name Richardia, in one of these cases outside 

 a window in Piccadilly, attracted my attention as 

 amongst the prettiest foliage plants I had seen in 

 such circumstances. This lily is making its way into 

 our houses and gardens, and roots may be purchased 

 at small cost. I have seen two roots I planted in 

 spring in flower-pots produce before autumn seven- 

 teen shoots and six flowers. 



Filmy and other Ferns. Different kinds of Tri- 

 chomanes, and of its kindred HymenophyUum, whose 

 habitat is shady woods of the Tropics, and some 



