Ferns as house plants offer, then, leaves in infinite 
variety of shapes, of types of division, of shades of green. 
Some are even variegated with white, red, and other 
colors. Thoreau’s characterization, “Nature made ferns 
for pure leaves, ” cannot be too often quoted. To it may 
be added the fact that although Nature made ferns 
millions of years ago, she has never since surpassed the 
beauty of the fern leaf type in the leaves of later manu- 
facture. Secondly, a good house fern is continuously 
beautiful throughout the year. It does not depend for 
its attractiveness upon the occasional production of 
transitory flowers. Such a fern plant will last longer, 
even in the unfavorable conditions of a dwelling house, 
than practically any kind of flowering plant. 
Care of Ferns in the Home 
Success with plants in the home — ferns or any other 
plants — is really a matter of human nature. Do you 
admire and appreciate the beauty of a living plant? 
Besides a simple esthetic appreciation, do you realize 
that a plant is a living, growing being — an eating, 
breathing, drinking, feeling organism, which thrives or 
pines according to its environment and the care it re- 
ceives? Can you take enough interest in a plant pet to 
study and understand its few and simple needs, and 
systematically to supply these, a daily drink of water, 
good light, pure air, cleaning, and an occasional new 
supply of soil food and root space? 
With many people, particularly in cities, a plant is 
mainly a means of temporary decoration, to be used like 
a picture or hanging, according to the needs of the room. 
They would like to have it remain beautiful indefinitely, 
but — “I don’t know what is the matter. I can’t seem 
to make plants grow.” Under the frequently unsatis- 
factory conditions of city homes no one can make plants 
grow successfully. With poor light, gas fumes, and 
overheated rooms, it should lie thoroughly understood 
that plants are to be considered merely as temporary 
decorations, like flowers, but lasting weeks or months 
2 
