Ferns and Fern Culture. 57 
of light to every plant, therefore all undue obstruction 
must be avoided. 
The rockwork in a house must always be ona propor- 
tionate scale to the house. Too much spoils the whole— 
better have too little than have it overdone, 
OUTDOOR FERNERIES. 
There are many places in gardens where flowering 
plants will not live, and in some of these Ferns will 
grow beautifully, and convert an uninteresting spot into 
a source of interest and much pleasure, 
But there are so many exceedingly lovely varieties of 
Hardy Ferns that it would be a great mistake to plant 
them merely to fill a vacant space. They are worthy of 
special attention, and of the most favourable position 
that can be provided for them. 
Hardy Ferns are easy to manage—in fact, there are no 
other plants so easy of culture, and certainly none which 
present so large a variety of graceful habit and curious 
forms. 
The easiest and most satisfactory mode of culture is to 
plant them in borders, beds, or rock ferneries. 
Many Fern lovers are so placed that they have not 
even a smali garden in which to make a fernery. When 
such is unfortunately the case, so unlikely a place as a 
back garden may be utilised. A few rough boxes, six 
or eight inches deep, covered with pieces of thin virgin 
cork, will make suitable and rustic-looking receptacles 
for them. The boxes should have holes bored through 
the bottoms, an inch or two of broken pots placed inside 
for drainage, next a layer of moss or leaves, and then the 
compost. Some of the common British Ferns planted in 
these contrivances will yield much pleasure and serve to 
add no little charm to an otherwise dreary outlook. 
A Fernery on a larger scale may be made by building 
an edging of burrs two layers in height filled in with 
compost, This would prove suitable, and may be pro- 
vided with little trouble and expense. Those who have 
gardens should select a shaded and sheltered position, as 
little exposed to the sun as possible, and protected from 
strong winds. The fernery may take the form of a 
