SPALDING: FERNS AT HOME, AND VISITING 61 
woods in order to enjoy a sight of ferns. Ferns are 
ornamental in a suitable corner of the garden and will 
repay the labor expended upon them many times over 
in the pleasure they give. A fern cannot be transplanted 
to any place but will take kindly to civilization if it has 
plenty of shade, moisture, and good soil. First of all, it 
is necessary to prepare the bed carefully. Dig out the 
space required at least two feet and fill in with rich loam 
or preferably with leaf mold from near-by woods if = 
at least have a top dressing of soil from the w 
A certain fernery was planted, quite successfully, wi ee 
three divisions, a swamp, a plain, and a hillsideinm taka. : 
The swamp was contrived from a box sunk into the 
ground and partly filled with loam and moss. Here were 
planted such ferns as lived in wet places and the box was 
filled with water twice a day. Over the edge drooped 
the lovely royal fern (Osmunda regalis) and near by hved 
_ the sensitive fern (Onoclea seneibilis), while i in the box | ae 
_ were planted the marsh shield ferns. 
By far the greater variety of ferns was xs found in ee 
next division, which was arranged as much as possible 
like the natural woods, with rocks and logs and .. ee 
- mold. Sturdiest among them, and even crowding its 
_ neighbors, was the ostrich fern (Matteuceia struth 
with its graceful vaselike formation. In the back 
riot taller ferns, the Goldie (Dryopteris Goldia 
the Clinton (D 's Clintoniana), both of w 
had fourished for many years far from their nat ive wo 
