338 
FERNS : BRITISH AND FOREIGN. 
consigned to the London markets. Since Ferns have 
become so popular, those who patronize horticulture, 
from the members of the upper classes who construct 
large hothouses, to the humbler patron, or the hard- 
working mechanic who prides himself on his posses- 
sion of a Wardian case, are desirous to obtain such 
information as will enable them to cultivate them 
successfully, either in the Conservatory, Wardian 
case, or Eockwork in the open air. To supply this, 
several books on the subject have been published. 
Indeed, if an example may be taken, besides the 
extraordinary degree of familiarity so rapidly attained 
in the knowledge of Ferns by all classes, the constant 
increase of collections gives sufficient evidence. 
Nevertheless, in publications which, through their 
cheapness, are within the reach of every Fern lover,, 
frequent complaints are met with, tending to show 
that the result is not always satisfactory to the culti- 
vator, especially among amateurs and persons of 
small means. These complaints are mainly attri- 
butable to the author not familiarizing his readers 
sufficiently with the habits of Ferns, the conditions 
under which they luxuriate in their native localities, 
and the necessity of imitating those conditions as far 
as practicable. It is, however, gratifying to observe 
that, in the progress of horticulture, the knowledge of 
the natural conditions of plants is more and more 
sought after, and appreciated with very good results, 
forming a lively contrast with the old times, when the 
Trichomanes radicans could only with difficulty be 
kept alive even by the most eminent horticulturists; 
a fact observed by the originator and promoter of the 
Wardian case system, under which this shade and 
