72 FERNS 



are an aggravation to the fern lover, who 

 longs to stuff a delicate, feathery fern into 

 their pink throats. The slender, graceful 

 bladder fern (Filix) is never seen to better 

 advantage than in some such simple holder. 

 In short, nothing is too good for the service 

 in the eyes of the fern lover, hence gems of 

 the china closet are appropriated in spite 

 of domestic disapproval. 



Tin boxes can be made to fit any desired 

 space, a strip of birch bark fastened around 

 converting plebian material into something 

 artistic. Anything of this sort should be 

 painted inside to prevent rusting, and birch- 

 bark baskets are more desirable if lined 

 with tea lead. 



Another pretty device for holding potted 

 ferns of generous growth may be made of a 

 packing box covered with bark and mounted 

 on a rustic standard of the sawhorse style 

 of construction. Such an arrangement is 

 decorative indoors or out, and serves a double 

 purpose if placed on a veranda just ouside 

 of a window. It is always pleasant to look 



