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the pleasure of filling their case every fall, this is as good 

 a way as any to do, as it is a pretty ornament for winter, 

 and in summer need not be cared for. Of the two thou- 

 sand exotic species known to exist, but three hundred 

 probably can be purchased in this country, and of these 

 comparatively few are suitable to grow in the case. 

 Most of the smaller growing species for sale hereabouts 

 will do, particularly those of Pteris, Doodia, and Adian- 

 tum (maiden hair ferns). Gold and silver ferns require 

 care, as the yellow and white farina washes off in water- 

 ing. Besides ferns, Begonias, Dracaenas and Marantas 

 do well for the centre of a case, and many others can be 

 tried ; even if they do not succeed there is a pleasure in 

 experimenting. 



In New England there are about the same number of 

 ferns as in Old England, forty-five or six. About Salem, 

 say within ten miles' radius, there are sixteen genera, 

 twenty-nine species ; of these, few are suited to the fern- 

 ery. The larger ones grow well in the garden, on the 

 northerly side of a fence or building. Of the smaller 

 ones, the ebony spleenwort, two or three of the Aspi- 

 diums or shield ferns, the Asplenium Trichomanes, do 

 well ; the climbing fern will look pretty for a while and 

 some of the ferns which lose their foliage at the frost, will, 

 if their roots be planted just under the moss, grow toward 

 spring, such as the beech ferns, hay scented ferns, New 

 York ferns and others. The moonwort, and common poly- 

 pody which grows every where, should never be left out, 

 and the harts tongue, and walking ferns, are valuable 

 accessions if they can be had. This comprises about all 

 the native ferns of use that can be collected here, but there 

 are many little plants to associate with them which add 

 much to the beauty of the case. The partridge berry 

 (Mitchella repens) can be gathered in bunches, regardless 



