94 FERNS IN THEIR HOMES AND OURS. 



expected. The ferns did not do well at all, but damped off, 

 till I grew quite discouraged. I continued to replace the 

 decayed plants by others, with no better results. I thought 

 the trouble might be caused by want of heat, as the room 

 at night and on Sundays, when I was not on hand to look 

 after the fires, might become quite cool. With this thought 

 came the idea of heating the case. I had made at the tin- 

 man's a small boiler holding a gallon of water. Behind the 

 case, near the floor, I placed a gas-jet, and over this the 

 boiler, removing a panel from the box of the case, then 

 fitting it so that it could be opened or closed at pleasure. 

 The inner box, containing the soil, being eleven inches 

 deep, left a space of twelve inches underneath : in this 

 space I placed tubing enough to extend completely round 

 the case, and to connect with the boiler outside. All seemed 

 to work like a charm. I then went to work to ventilate the 

 case, giving a little air at a time ; till at last I removed the 

 square of wood from the roof, and replaced it with a piece 

 of plate-glass, w^hich I could remove wholly or in part ; and 

 this, with the aid of the panel which was opened for heat, 

 furnished the means for ventilation. I soon saw that it was 

 the one thing needed. Every thing worked well from this 

 time." 



The subject alluded to here, that of ventilation, 

 must receive especial attention. Some have the 

 erroneous idea, that, to fully carry out the theory 

 of a fernery, we must almost hermetically seal the 

 case. But, while a few species of Hymeiiophyllum 

 and Trichomanes may live under such conditions, 

 the majority need air in limited quantities. A lit- 

 tle slide in either the woodwork or the glass 

 below, w^ith one also at the top to permit a 



