Fern Allies. 
135 
and unseated cases, but to grow them in perfection 
warmth is essential, and they may all be treated as 
stove plants, and wherever there is a suitable place 
for them, so surely ought this class of plants to be 
strongly represented, for they are quite at home, and 
thrive where it would be next to impossible to keep any 
other plant in a healthy growing state, even if it could 
be persuaded to drag out an existence, which would 
not be at all likely to compliment the cultivator for the 
skill and trouble expended upon it. It greatly en¬ 
hances the attractions of the fern house to distribute 
the selaginellas amongst large specimen plants, where 
they can have the advantage of the shade from them, 
putting them, of course, so as they can be readily seen, 
for it is no use to put a light under a bushel. They 
are also well suited to stand amongst strong-growing 
ferns, for the spreading nature of the fronds of 
the ferns prevents the pots being set close to each 
other, thus giving ample room to stand dwarf- 
growing plants, which require similar treatment and a 
deeper intensity of shade than the ferns. They will, 
however, grow well in a house with a suitable tempera¬ 
ture if there are no other plants of any description but 
them in it, provided that the house is properly shaded. 
My reason for suggesting the suitability of these plants 
for growing between others of larger size is this—the 
stove is generally of limited extent, so that every inch 
of space is required to be made available for growing 
something or other, and there is always space between 
large specimen plants, although their fronds may meet 
overhead, suitable for growing dwarf plants like these, 
