Fern Allies. 135 



and unheated cases, but to grow them in perfection 

 warmth is essential, and they may all be treated as 

 stove plants, and wherever there is a suitable place 

 for them, so surely ought this class of plants to be 

 strongly represented, for they are quite at home, and 

 thrive where it would be next to impossible to keep any 

 other plant in a healthy growing state, even if it could 

 be persuaded to drag out an existence, which would 

 not be at all likely to compliment the cultivator for the 

 skill and trouble expended upon it. It greatly en- 

 hances the attractions of the fern house to distribute 

 the selaginellas amongst large specimen plants, where 

 they can bave the advantage of the shade from them, 

 putting them, of course, so as they can be readily seen, 

 for it is no use to put a light under a bushel. They 

 are also well suited to stand amongst strong-growing 

 ferns, for the spreading nature of the fronds of 

 the ferns prevents the pots being set close to each 

 other, thus giving ample room to stand dwaif- 

 growing plants, which require similar treatment and a 

 deeper intensity of shade than the ferns. They will, 

 however, grow well in a house with a suitable tempera- 

 ture if there are no other plants of any description but 

 them in it, provided that the house is properly shaded. 

 My reason for suggesting the suitability of these plants 

 for growing between others of larger size is this — the 

 stove is generally of limited extent, so that every inch 

 of space is required to be made available for growing 

 something or other, and there is always space between 

 large specimen plants, although their fronds may meet 

 overhead, suitable for growing dwarf plants like these, 



