FERN-CASES. 



93 



stood two feet high, set on heavy casters, and moving on a 

 pivot, so that it could be readily turned to the light as the 

 plants required. The inner box was half an inch smaller 

 than the outside all round, eleven inches deep, thoroughly 

 covered with white-lead paint, and perforated through the 

 bottom with inch holes for drainage. The glass case, thirty 

 inches high, fitted into a moulding projecting above and 

 around the top of the box. The sash was made very strong, 

 with iron braces set into each corner. Each of the four 

 sides consisted of two panes of glass, two panes on two 

 sides serving as doors. The roof was formed of four slop- 

 ing sides, surmounted by a flat cap of wood twelve inches 

 square, tapering upward, with a turned point twelve inches 

 high. This cap fitted on like a cover, and could be easily 

 removed if necessary. The case was thoroughly painted 

 with three coats of white lead, and cost, when completed, 

 seventy dollars." 



This introduction of mirrors would only be 

 proper when the fernery was so placed that the 

 ends were hidden from view. The remarks con- 

 cerning native plants in the fernery cover the 

 ground ; for, if we desire to have growing plants 

 in winter, we must take species from the tropics, 

 which need little or no rest. Native plants are 

 best out of doors ; or they should be suffered to 

 remain over winter in a cool place, and only 

 brought in early in the spring to unfold. They 

 are therefore particularly suited, if kept in this 

 way, for the open in-doors fern-stand. 



Farther on in his essay Mr. Halliday says, — 

 " But, after a while, the case did not work as well as I 



