'V4 
62 
Rustic Adornments. 
abundance of time to it, and who count trouble as nothing when engaged 
heartily in an elegant recreation. The unheated case will in great part take 
care of itself as to temperature, but some skill and care will be required to 
guard against possible injury by extreme temperatures. Any aspect except 
due south will suit, except in winter time, and then a south aspect is decidedly 
desirable, for the occasional glimmerings of sunshine in the dull season will 
benefit the inmates of the case. It may happen that exposure to sunshine in 
spring and summer cannot be avoided; in that case, draw down the blind 
from about n to 2 on sunny days, or if that be not practicable, lay a 
newspaper over the case, taking care to remove it when the day has somewhat 
advanced. Bear in mind that ferns will bear without harm a considerable 
amount of sunshine, if they are freely ventilated, and at all times inured to 
full daylight. In the winter another course must be pursued in order to 
prevent injury by frost. Slight frosts of short duration will do no harm, and 
we must suppose the room to have the benefit of a fire. But severe and 
long-continued frost will prove injurious if the ferns are left to their fate in 
the window. It is a good plan during severe winter weather to draw the case 
away from the window into the middle of the room; this will probably make 
a difference of ten degrees of temperature in its favour. The manner in 
which our cases are mounted on well-built frames with powerful brass castors 
renders this an easy matter; but it may happen that the case is immovable, in 
-which case some kind of woollen garments must be provided. Pieces of 
old carpet, cloth table-covers, and other such protecting materials are usually 
available, and must be adopted in time, with the view of preventing a single 
frond at any time from being frozen. 
The methods of heating cases vary, but they are nearly the same in 
principle. There is a vessel below the trough in which the ferns are planted, 
and this is either supplied with hot water from time to time, the cold water 
being at the same time removed, or the water is kept hot by means of a flame 
of gas or oil lamp. Whatever be the plan of heating, a good thermometer 
should be kept within the case, and of course the smaller it is the better, so 
long as it can be depended on. Throughout the winter the thermometer 
should be kept as nearly as possible at an average of 50°. It may rise to 
6o° as spring advances, in order to assist the new growth which will then be 
pushing, and at the end of April or very soon after (as the weather may 
determine), heating should be discontinued until about the middle of 
September, when heating must be again resorted to. An endeavour should be 
