ON FERNS. 



547 



Porous Bottles. — A terra-cotta bottle, made of a specially 

 porous material, and usually known as the " Madeira Fern 

 bottle," having been procured, it is covered with a layer of clay 

 about an inch thick, which is fastened to it and held in position 

 by means of copper wire worked across in different directions. 

 Quite tiny seedlings of Adiantuin Capillns- Veneris are then 

 planted in the clay, the bottle is filled with water, which 

 soon percolates through to the clay, and hung up. There 

 is no need of ever giving water direct • to the plants — the 

 bottle only requires to be occasionally replenished ; by that 

 means a most pleasing ball of green foliage is produced, 

 lasting in perfection so long as the bottle is not allowed to get 

 dry. 



The Fern or Wardian Case. — The Fern case, which 

 proves a constant source of pleasure and instruction, is the 

 one fancy way of growing Ferns which deserves the greatest 

 amount of attention. No other way of growing Ferns, or 

 indeed any other plants in a room, has greater attraction than 

 a miniature fernery planted with judiciously selected Ferns. 

 The charms of such culture are specially appreciated by persons 

 of sedentary habits, spending all or the greater part of their 

 time in town, where the pleasure of seeing plants growing in 

 a natural state is an unknown advantage. 



The mode of planting the case should rest with the owner ; 

 but whether it is devoted to the culture of ordinary sorts, or to 

 that of the rarer and choicer class of plants known as " Filmy 

 Ferns," the little glass structure is generally much admired, and 

 most deservedly so. The Fern case should be well drained, the 

 bottom part of it being separated from the soil by a false bottom 

 made of perforated zinc, and the space thus remaining between 

 the two being used for the reception of the water resulting from 

 the watering of the plants. The perforated zinc should be 

 covered with a thickness of 2in. of crocks, upon which a layer 

 of sphagnum or one of fibrous peat, to prevent the drainage from 

 becoming choked, should be placed. The bottom part of the case 

 should then be filled to a depth of about 6in. with a mixture 

 of soil suitable to the kinds intended to be planted in it. When 

 ordinary Ferns are intended to be grown, a mixture of tw^o parts 

 of either peat or leaf-mould, one part of fibrous loam, and one 

 part of silver-sand will be found the most satisfactory compost 

 for the majority of kinds used in planting in either Fern- 

 or wqndow-cases. Should the case be intended for the culture of 

 Trichomanes radicans, or Killarney Fern, especially, it will be 

 found best to use, in equal proportions, peat and porous sand- 

 stone, to which material the hairy rhizomes cling with great 

 tenacity, while the fleshy roots run freely among the pieces, from 

 which they derive all the nourishment they require. A compost of 

 two parts of peat, one part of silver-sand, and one part of partly- 



2 N 2 



