46 BRITISH FERNS 



centre for ventilation if needed, and swing glass doors at both ends, 

 permitting of easy access, but closing tightly. The box has, or 

 should have, a zinc bottom, provided with a tap for withdrawal of 

 surplus water. To prepare it for use, a good layer of broken flower 

 pots should cover the bottom, over which should be laid a mass of 

 fibrous material, moss, or coarse peat fibre, to prevent the soil from 

 choking the drainage, and upon this is spread sufficient peaty, 

 sandy, open compost to more than fill the box, a heap being made 

 some inches higher than its edges. Upon this a small rockery of 

 porous stone may be made with advantage, and planting may then 

 be begun. Undoubtedly the best Ferns for such a case are the 

 delicate Filmy Ferns, Trichomanes radicans, Hymenophyllum 

 Tunbridgcnse and unilaicrale, and small plants may be used of the 

 charming New Zealand and Australian Todeas, T. superba and T. 

 pellucida. The Hymenophyllums are small- growing moss-like Ferns 

 which form mat-like masses, and these must be planted by being 

 pegged down on the surface of the soil, then mulched with, or rather 

 buried beneath, a handful or so of the sandy compost, which must 

 then be washed in until the fronds reappear. Trichomanes radicans 

 must be planted in like fashion, except that its creeping rootstocks, 

 after pegging firmly to the soil, need only the mulching and washing 

 process, the fronds being much larger. The Todeas form crowns and 

 do not travel and hence should be planted in the ordinary way, 

 on the top of the raised soil. In the chinks of the rockwork, if such 

 be used, Asp. trichomanes will grow well, provided the fronds are 

 not wetted. The planting done, a good watering should be given 

 to settle the soil, and then if the case be kept closely shut, the Ferns 

 may be left alone practically for months. The case should be 

 placed where it gets plenty of light but no sunshine, a north window 

 suits it well. After the installation and subsequent watering, the 

 surplus water should be drawn off by the tap, as if left, it is apt to 

 breed sourness in the soil. If other Ferns than Filmies are used, 

 they must be selected from the dwarf forms, or smaller species, 

 air should occasionally be admitted, and morning or evening sun- 

 shine will do no harm. The stronger the light and the nearer the 

 case is to the windows, the less they will become drawn. To plant 

 small specimens of robust growers is a mistake, since they will 

 inevitably lead to overcrowding and distorted fronds. The Wardian 

 Case is also extremely useful to accommodate spore pans or pots, or 

 young Ferns prior to potting on. The still, humid conditions are 

 ideal ones for Fern growth, and the risk of drought is reduced to a 

 minimum. Returning to the Filmy Ferns, we do not advocate 

 repeated waterings overhead ; if the soil be moist, the air is always 

 damp enough to keep the fronds in good condition, and promote 

 healthy growth ; in fact, if the soil is seen to be moist, the more 

 they are left alone the better. Bell glasses and receptacles are 

 practically the same thing as Wardian Cases, and require the 



