48 
Rustic Adornments. 
external agencies. It does not detract from the merits of the inventor that we 
disregard his theory, and abandon entirely the doctrine that the closer a case 
is kept the better for the plants within it. Nor is our obligation lessened if 
we abandon also many of the inventor’s proposals as to the kinds of plants 
that may be grown in cases, and restrict the selection to far fewer families 
than he considered suitable. It is not because a plant will simply live for a 
time with less light and air than it obtains in its natural habitat, that we 
should consign it to a case; our rule should be to give preference to such as 
will really thrive in close confinement, and though they are by no means 
scarce, they are less numerous than Mr. Ward supposed when he published an 
account of his experiments, and the conclusions he deduced from them in his 
interesting pamphlet “ On the Cultivation of Plants in Closed Cases.” 
A few leading principles must be kept in view in the construction and 
management of these contrivances. These we will endeavour to state 
briefly, but explicitly. 
The form and the dimensions of a fern-case are to be determined by 
individual tastes and requirements. As a rule, the larger the construction the 
better, an abundance of light and a large body of air are favourable conditions 
for the plants. But usually it is necessary the contrivances should be portable, 
and that must be borne in mind. The lighter the construction, consistent 
with sufficiency of strength the better, for not only must the ferns have as 
much light as possible, but we must have, as far as may be, an uninterrupted 
view of them. Heavy woodwork and cumbrous designs are offensive to 
good taste, injurious to the plants by robbing them of light, and, it may be, 
calculated to render an apartment dull and unwholesome which otherwise 
would be cheerful and healthy. It is a great advantage in the management of 
the collection if the several parts of the construction can be readily separated. 
This is not possible in every instance, but a near approach may be made to it 
by providing more than one door, so that the ferns may be reached without 
difficulty from two or three sides. Provision must be made for the free escape 
of water from below, and the admission of air above. In no particular has 
the theory of Mr. Ward been more completely overthrown than by the 
common experience of cultivators in respect of air-giving : ferns kept as 
nearly as possible hermetically sealed, become weak, attenuated, pale, sickly; 
but regular ventilation and abundance of light promote a robust growth, and 
the healthy plant is always the most beautiful. 
Given the properly constructed case, we have next to consider the aspect in 
