CULTIVATION. 309 



of moisture as well as temperature, the latter ranging 

 from 40 to 50 in winter, that being the only period 

 of the year when artificial heat is required. In this 

 house* are growing, in the greatest luxuriance, species 

 from Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan,,., North 

 India, elevated portions of Ceylon, South Africa, 

 North and South America, and other elevated regions 

 within the tropics. The whole collection is grown in 

 common deep or shallow pots, pans, and tubs ; the 

 latter, however, are only used for the large species 

 of Tree Ferns and Angiopteris ; and though such a 

 system is the least natural in appearance, yet it is 

 most convenient and found generally consistent with 

 the prevailing fashion for in-door horticulture ; this 

 mode of cultivation, being mostly adopted, merits our 

 first consideration. In the tropical and sub-tropical 

 localities, where heat and moisture are abundant, by 

 the manner in which they grow and the various 

 positions they occupy, soil is of but little importance, 

 except for affording their roots the means of obtaining 

 permanency of position. This is evident by the remains 

 of native soil adhering to the roots of imported plants, 

 showing that Tree and other large Ferns in some 

 places grow in stiff adhesive, red clay. To imitate 

 this soil in pot culture is attended with no success, 

 and it is remarkable to see how quickly the roots of 

 newly-imported plants take to the fine loam and. 

 peat in which they are potted. In cultivation, how- 

 ever, the great beneficial influence of the natural 

 atmosphere is not obtained, and the soil is therefore 

 of great importance, necessitating caution in its 



* Length 82 feet, width 13 feet. 



