CULTIVATION. 357 



^sandstone broken small, or (if peat cannot be pro- 

 icured) good light loam. Having proceeded so far, 

 |two systems of planting the case present themselves. 

 [The first plan is to plant in the soil, which should be 

 praised in the centre ; the number of plants will 

 r depend on the size of the box, and care must be 

 ! taken not to plant them in too crowded a manner, 

 fthe distance apart depending on the size and nature 

 j of the plants, but in no case should they be closer 

 "than six inches. The second method is to have the 

 I plants established in 4 to 6-inch pots, plunging them 

 ! in the soil sufficiently deep to hide the rims of the 

 spots. The last system has one decided advantage, 

 [ namely, should a plant die or does not succeed, it can 

 ;be removed and replaced without disturbing its 

 'neighbour. It must be understood that the above 

 I mode of planting relates to plants with erect verna- 

 itioii only, but those with creeping rhizomes, that form 

 <Cespitose tufts, require to be planted each on a 

 separately raised hillock, of which, if the case is large, 

 there may be a series, and for the creeping Hymeno- 

 plnjlla lumps of porous stone are very suitable; fine 

 .patches may be obtained in this way, not only of 

 Hiimenopliylla, but also of the smaller species of 

 Niphobolus, Anapeltisj the beautiful Humata pinnati- 

 \fida, Davallia pentaphylla, and others of like habit. 

 After the Ferns are planted, some small-growing 

 Sclaginella, such as S. apus, may be pricked in over 

 ithe surface of the soil, in pieces a few inches apart, 

 which will soon cover it, and give to the whole a neat 

 and finished appearance, and also materially assist 

 in maintaining the proper state of moisture in the air 

 of the case and about the plants. The planting being 



