42 TOWN AND WINDOW GARDENING 



than ever when reddened by the fiery fingers of the 

 frost. 



It is hardly fair to end without a word or two about the 

 open-air Fern-box. For beginners, and in fact for every- 

 body, nothing requires so little trouble to cultivate as 

 Ferns. Let us suppose a young lady's room in a north- 

 east aspect, or north-west with only afternoon sunshine. 

 Here is the very place for a Fern window-box. All 

 Ferns and nothing else. Nothing but the common 

 Harts-tongue looks lovely ; so do Male Ferns and Lady 

 Ferns growing together. Ferns want more drainage 

 and more water than flowers, and that is all they do 

 want. When in the autumn they die down, the old 

 fronds must not be cut off. Let them be, and give a very 

 little water now and again to prevent an utter dryness. 

 In the spring they will come up again as good as ever, 

 and would be glad of a sprinkling of fresh leaf-mould 

 over the top just as an encouragement for the fresh growth. 



When the new fronds appear we shall find them 

 folded at the base very tight and cosy. Then, and then 

 only, must last year's dead leaves be removed. They 

 have protected and even nourished. 



It is better not to arrange the Fern-box for a very con- 

 spicuous room ; people get impatient during the resting- 

 time of the plants, and want to turn them out, which is 

 too bad. Nothing and nobody can be always at its best, 

 not even human beings. The only remedy is a second 

 box, and to put the Fern-box away to go through its 

 dormant stage unseen. The danger of this is that it may 

 be forgotten, like canaries are sometimes ; but the Fern- 

 box is worth trying for. In summer it is a treat, and its 

 fresh green never looks prettier than in a case of pale 

 blue tiles ; I like this better for Ferns than the more 

 conventional box of rustic-work. 



Seeds are fascinating, but I cannot cordially recom- 

 mend them for window-box use ; there are too many 



