THE NATURAL CONDITIONS OF PLANTS. 65 
Numerous plants require to be well supplied with 
water up to the period of inflorescence, and when 
the flowering is over, to be kept nearly dry. 
This is easily effected by removing the lid, or 
opening the door of the case, and allowing the 
superfluous moisture to evaporate. It is a very 
common but erroneous impression, that great 
knowledge of botany is required before any suc- 
cessful attempts at the cultivation of plants in 
closed cases can be made ; now, it must be 
obvious, from all that has been said, that whether 
the plant be grown in a case, or in the open air, 
its natural condition must be fulfilled to insure 
success. Again, many complain that the enclosed 
plants frequently become mouldy ; this may arise 
either from cold, want of light, redundant mois- 
ture, or a combination of these causes, producing 
diminished vital action, or else from the natural 
decay of the plant. It is very interesting to 
watch the progress of this. The moment a plant 
begins to decay, it is no longer of any use ; 
and the small parasitical fungi, commonly called 
moulds, are some of the means employed by Na- 
ture in removing that which would otherwise be 
an incumbrance , — “ Cut it down, why cumbereth 
it the ground ? ” 
To conclude this part of my subject with a 
few general observations. The advantages of the 
