SMALL CASE FOR FILMY FLRNS. 
The Fern-Case. 
live long in it. The very best leaf-mould, such as a skilful gardener would 
employ for potting purposes, will answer very well, if a fourth part of its 
bulk of silver sand be added. But the staple soil should be friable peat of a 
dry fibrous texture, with sufficient sand added to give it a decidedly gritty 
character. To say how much sand should be allowed to any given measure of 
peat is impossible, for the best kinds of peat contain so much silicous grit 
that there is no occasion to add sand at all. Other kinds of peat are silky 
and mellow, and evidently deficient of silica ; in this case it must be broken 
up small, and a large proportion of sand thoroughly intermixed with it. A 
peat or bog earth, of a black, greasy texture, is to be avoided as unsuitable; 
on the other hand, a soil on which the common brake, the ling, and any other 
of our native fens and heaths grow plentifully, is sure to suit for the fern-case, 
if a liberal proportion of sand be added. 
It is easy, some will say, to prescribe the soil, but in some districts far 
removed from heaths, it is difficult to obtain it. Granted : but then recourse 
must not be had to the soil of the garden or the hedgerow even, unless the 
practitioner has some actual experience in the matter. Wanted, then, a patent 
preparation. Happily, we can provide one that can be obtained anywhere 
through the aid of railway or the post as a shop article. Mix together equal 
quantities of cocoa-nut-fibre refuse, pounded charcoal, good loam and silver 
sand. This is a capital mixture, and as for the loam, whatever is known in 
the district as a “ loam ” will answer the purpose. Yet, another : chopped 
moss, flower-pots pounded almost to dust, common loam, silver sand, equal 
quantities, thoroughly blended together. It remains now to describe a few 
applications of these principles, and the rule will be followed of illustrating 
the several features of the subject by examples of our own. 
