STRrCTURES FOR CRYPTOGAMIC PLAXTS. 



407 



in. The natoal habitats of the majority of ferns, as well as mosses, are in 

 shaded places, and where the wind has httle effect upon them ; for, 

 indeed, their dehcate and often broadly-expanded fronds are ill-saited to 

 resist the fmy of the tempest. They appear to accommodate themselves 

 in a cultivated state, and also to exist naturally, in a much closer and 

 less rarified atmosphere than that of any other plants, and even to dis- 

 pense with a certain portion of hght better than any of the vegetables 

 constituting the phcenogamous classes. 



The structm^e, therefore, which we think best calculated for theii* cul- 

 tivation would be a low, closely-glazed house or large pit, having a 

 northern exposure. There is a considerable degi'ee of difference in the 

 size of ferns, as well as that of other plants ; and that difference fre- 

 quently exists in the same family or genus, some not exceeding half an 

 inch in height, while others reach three or four feet in the frond ; while 

 not a few of the tropical species are very rampant growing chmbers, and 

 some are stately ti'ees. 



Such being the case, we would propose a house of the ordinary sloping 

 roof form, about eight feet high at the back, and ten feet wide ; its length 

 may be twenty or thirty feet, according to the extent of the collection in- 

 tended to be grown : but a house of the above dimensions would contain a 

 very complete one. The internal arrangement of such a house might com- 

 prise a platform of brick-work four feet wide next the back, upon which the 

 taller and stronger sorts should be placed. The foot-path should not be 

 less than three feet in width, and a front platform of three feet next to 

 the front glass for the accommodation of the lower-gi'owing kinds. Both 

 these platforms should be laid with closely jointed foot-tiles to retain 

 moistm'e at the bottom of the pots, and round the margins a projection 

 should be raised of one or two kiches, or more, for a hke pui-pose. Still 

 further to increase the humidity, which should be maintained as equable 

 as possible, the pots in which the plants are grown should be plunged in 

 moss, various species of hyjmum, &c. 



The house should be heated with hot water, which might be procured 

 from the boiler employed in heating any of the other stoves, which may 

 occupy a southern exposure, and be connected with the Cryptogamic 

 House, one common wall serving for the back of both : by this mode of 

 an-angement a passage may be opened between them, which would be very 

 advantageous and convenient. 



The cultivation of these plants has not yet been very much attended to, 

 and those who have occupied themselves therein have been contented by 

 merely setting apart for them a portion of the general stove ; but far 



