THE NATURAL CONDITIONS OF PLANTS. 39 
This plant lived for about four years in a wide- 
mouthed bottle, covered with oiled silk, during 
which time it required no water, hut having out- 
grown its narrow bounds it was removed to some 
rock-work in my largest fern-house, covered with 
a hell-glass, and occasionally watered. Here it 
produced fronds fifteen inches in height by seven 
or eight in breadth, one-fourth larger than native 
specimens, either from Killarney, or elsewhere. 
I have lately seen specimens of this beautiful 
plant in St. Paul’s Church Yard, Broad Street 
Buildings, and other places in London, which are 
quite equal to any I have seen in Ireland, and 
one fine bushy plant at Kensington, now contain- 
ing eighteen or twenty fronds, which was sent by 
post from Dublin two years since, and then con- 
sisted of a small portion of rhizome with three 
fronds only. 
The finest specimen, however, of Trichomanes 
in cultivation, of which I have any cognizance, is 
one in the possession of R. Callwell, Esq., of 
Dublin, whose account is so interesting that I 
copy it verbatim : — 
Dublin, 3rd August, 1852. 
My dear Sir, 
At the request of our mutual and very 
esteemed friend, Dr. Wm. Harvey, I have the 
