WmDOW PLANTS, ETC. 57 



greater portion of them are too delicate in texture to 

 withstand the dry atmosphere which is necessarily main- 

 tained in a dwelling-house. To obviate this, miniature 

 greenhouses were invented by Mr. N. B. Ward, an en- 

 thusiastic lover of this race of plants, and these have ever 

 since been called "Ward's Cases" or "Wardian Cases," 

 and are most extensively used. Indeed, many large and 

 interesting collections of Ferns are cultivated by amateurs, 

 who have no other accommodation but such as these cases 

 afford, and to whom they thus become a never-ending 

 source of enjoyment. In addition to their adaptability 

 for the cultivation of Ferns, they are eminently suited 

 also for the growth of many of the smaller-growing plants 

 remarkable for the beauty of their leaves, and which, 

 although too fragile to stand in a room unprotected, yet 

 become objects of great interest when grown in snch a 

 case as that represented at the head of these remarks. 

 There are several kinds of Orchids which succeed admir- 

 ably in these structures, and afford much additional 

 interest; we allude to the various species of Sophronites, 

 which are adapted for small blocks, to be suspended &om 

 the roof; to several species of Lycaste and Odontoglossnm ; 

 to the most showy kinds of Stelis and Fleurothalis, as 

 well as some of the Maxillarias and Cypripediums. 



The florists' flowers which we have previously named 

 as being a few years since the principal objects for in- 

 door decoration, are in our estimation totally unfit to form 

 the chief features in arrangements of this kind, although 

 they are valuable as adjuncts. The groundwork should 

 be composed of omamental-foliaged plants — ^plants with 

 a robust constitution, and. somewhat stout or coriaceous 

 leaves, examples of which may be found amongst Palms, 

 and the different species of Dracaena, Croton, Agave> 



