50 
Rustic A dorn ments 
which to place it, the plants suitable to furnish it, and the soil in which the 
plants are to be grown. The first point is easily disposed of. Any aspect 
will suit a fern-case. If peculiarly exposed to sunshine it may not be so well 
for ferns, but it very rarely happens that in any apartment the sunshine is 
too strong even for these shade-loving plants, provided they have plenty of air; 
if kept very close, strong sunshine tries them in a painful manner, but if kept 
in vigorous health, a moderate amount of sunshine will increase their health, 
and cause a free production of fully-developed fronds, and also of crowns and 
rhizomes for the extension of the specimens. There are just two considera¬ 
tions that may detain us for a moment in connection with the sunny aspect. 
First, as the sunny windows are usually wanted for flowers, or for the sunshine 
only, and as ferns will thrive with plenty of light in a north aspect, it is 
not usual to give them a south exposure • and as they do not absolutely 
need it, there is no necessity to place the fern-case in the most sunny position. 
Second, if it suits to furnish a south window with a little fern garden, excess 
of sunshine may be easily screened out by means of a blind or a sheet of 
paper, which should be used only for an hour or two at mid-day when the 
light is strongest. 
Next, as to the plants; make experiments to any extent you please, and 
chronicle all your successes, and such of your failures as are likely to be 
instructive; but in the first instance, adopt only such plants as are known to 
be adapted to this kind of treatment: they are plentiful enough, but far 
fewer than good Mr. Ward supposed. He even proposed to grow salads 
in close cases, but it is a question if he ever put upon his table a salad pro¬ 
duced in any room of his residence in Finsbury Circus. Ferns, selaginellas, 
and mosses, comprise the inmates that are most likely to enjoy life in such 
artificial conditions, as “to the manner born.” A few orchids, palms, and 
succulent plants may be grown to a fair degree of perfection in cases, but 
they are not adapted for beginners. The common ivy (Hedera helix ) succeeds 
astonishingly well in a fern-case, and may be turned to good account where a 
screen of glossy-green leaves is needed to shut out an unsightly view, and the 
amount of light and air available for vegetation are too limited for bold 
experiments in gardening. We may mention the beautiful sheet of ivy filling 
a window garden, years ago, at the residence of Dr. Conquest, in Finsbury 
Square. 
The soil for a fern-case is a most important matter. Common earth taken 
from a garden is no better than paste or putty ; not one of your plants will 
