of broken tiles be placed at the bottom of the pan, and oare is 

 tsJi:en to remove the glass shade, for a short time, about twice 

 a week. But as the glass pan is impervious to water, and 

 consequently any excess of moisture cannot escape from it, it 

 will be found better to use an earthen pot instead of it, which 

 win allow the soil about the roots of the plants to be thoroughly 

 drained. 



But the proper method of constructing a Wardian case for 

 ferns is to have two boxes or cases, one of which fits within the 

 other. The outer one should be water-tight, and provided with 

 means for removing the water that accumulates in the bottom 

 of it without removing the inner case. This may be done by 

 means of a small tap, or, if the case be placed on an ornamental 

 pedestal, by having a tube passing down it to convey the water 

 into a receptacle placed under its base, which should be hollow, 

 in order to cover it and conceal it from view. The inner case 

 may be made of wood or zinc, but it must not be as deep as the 

 outer one, so that a vacant space of an inch or two in depth 

 may be left beneath it when it is fitted into the outer case. 

 The bottom of the inner case must be perforated with holes, to 

 insure proper drainage. 



Now these cases may obviously be adapted to any form as 

 long as the above principle of construction is adhered to ; and 

 a very elegant addition to the furniture and decorations of a 

 hall or apartment may be obtained by the use of an ornamental 

 vase instead of a wooden box. The whole must be covered 

 with a glass case, which must be made to correspond with the 

 shape of the box or vase that it covers, whether it Ixi rectan- 

 gular, polygonal, or circular. In making a square case, the 

 length should be about twice as much as the breadth, and the 

 height of the glass covering should be equal to the breadth 

 of the case ; the top may be flat or raised like the roof of a 

 house, or with four sloping sides inclining and fitting to a 

 small flat piece at the top; but whatever form may be 

 adopted, the whole roof, or one of the component pieces, should 

 be on hinges, that the air may be admitted at pleasure. The 

 exercise of a little taste and ingenuity wUl enable many to con- 

 struct one of very pretty appearance out of a plain deal box, 

 ornamented with leather-work, with an inner case of zinc for 

 the plants, and a simple glass covering that may be made by 

 any glazier from pieces of glass fitted together in strips of lead, 

 after the manner of the panes in casement windows. 



Many methods will suggest themselves by which ferns may 



