FERN-CASES. 



87 



himself a case which shall meet all the require- 

 ments of fern-growing, and in which the cost shall 

 be reduced to the very lowest possible figure. For 

 a case 24 by 16 by 18 inches in length, breadth, 

 and height respectively, the expense for wood, 

 glass, putty, filling, oil, pan, &c., would cost no 

 more than $J, while the cabinet-maker's charges 

 would be at least ^15. Cases with a pitched roof 

 should have one side of the top hinged, so that 

 this can be raised by a chip or a bit of paper for 

 ventilation ; and every fernery should be so con- 

 structed that it may be easily raised from its base. 



The writer, who is not a good mechanic, wishing 

 to multiply his ferneries without in the same pro- 

 portion increasing the expense, devised the fern- 

 case represented in PI. 15. Many other people 

 may have themselves invented the same ; but, as 

 the design is not patented, we shall not infringe 

 upon each other's rights. The following directions 

 may be useful to some readers : — 



First procure an inch-thick pine board, 24 by 18 

 inches in size. As our large pines are so rapidly 

 disappearing, it is most likely that this can only be 

 obtained by gluing several narrow boards together. 

 Around this bottom board, and at right angles 

 with it, nail a strip of hard wood (say ash or 

 walnut) four to six inches wide. The top of this 

 strip, or the edge which will come on top, may be 

 bevelled (PI. 15, Fig. 4), and have, perhaps, a 



