CHAPTER III 
MANAGEMENT OF FERN-CASES 
O, blessed things ! 
At sight of this your perfect innocence, 
The sterner thoughts of manhood melt away 
Into a mood as mild as woman’s dreams. 
The strife of working intellect, the stir 
Of hope’s ambitions ; the disturbing sound 
Of fame, and all that worshipped pageantry 
That ardent spirits burn for in their pride, 
Fly like disparting clouds, and leave the soul 
Pure, and serene as the blue depths of heaven, 
Wilson, 
f HE leading points in the management of fern-cases have been in 
some part stated in the former portion of this section, and it 
only remains to gather up here the several threads into an 
orderly skein. The cases may be considered under two heads, 
those that are unassisted with artificial heat, and those that have 
^ that advantage. They may also be considered under two heads 
as to furnishing, for they may either be planted with subjects 
intended to remain and attain their fullest possible development in situ , or be 
kept furnished with plants in pots. The easiest to manage are the unheated 
cases; indeed it is but proper here to warn the reader that a heated case— 
no matter by what method the heat is supplied,—entails a larger amount 
of trouble in our opinion than it is worth, except to such as can devote 
