304 FERNS I BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 



consigned to the London markets. Since Ferns have 

 become so popular, those who patronize horticulture, 

 from the members of the upper classes who construct 

 large hothouses, to the humbler patron, or the hard- 

 working mechanic who prides himself on his posses- 

 sion of a Wardian case, are desirous to obtain such 

 information as will enable them to cultivate them 

 successfully, either in the Conservatory, Wardian 

 case, or Rockwork in the open air. To supply this, 

 several books on the subject have been published. 

 Indeed, if an example may be taken, besides the 

 extraordinary degree of familiarity so rapidly attained 

 in the knowledge of Ferns by all classes, the constant 

 increase of collections gives sufficient evidence. 

 Nevertheless, in publications which, through their 

 cheapness, are within the reach of every Fern lover, 

 frequent complaints are met with, tending to show 

 that the result is not always satisfactory to the culti- 

 vator, especially among amateurs and persons of 

 small means. These complaints are mainly attri- 

 butable to the author not familiarizing his readers 

 sufficiently with the habits of Ferns, the conditions 

 under which they luxuriate in their native localities, 

 and the necessity of imitating those conditions as far 

 as practicable. It is, however, gratifying to observe 

 that, in the progress of horticulture, the knowledge of 

 the natural conditions of plants is more and more 

 sought after, and appreciated with very good results, 

 forming a lively contrast with the old times, when the 

 Trichomanes radicans could only with difficulty be 

 kept alive even by the most eminent horticulturists; 

 a fact observed by the originator and promoter of the 

 Wardian case system, under which this shade and 



