Fern Allies. 
143 
Mosses.— Though we rarely meet with these as 
special objects of cultivation, a large number of the 
most beautiful may be grown with but little difficulty 
in an outdoor fernery, and a few are well adapted for 
cool house and frame culture. Where ferns are well 
managed * mosses are sure to appear amongst them 
spontaneously, and add very much to the beauty of the 
rockery by the tone of age and ripeness they give it. 
In the ‘ Floral World * of February, 1869, the writer 
of this gave his experience at length upon this subject. 
Those who are particularly interested in it may peruse 
the article with advantage. 
In collecting mosses for cultivation, they should be 
taken with a thin slice of whatever they may be grow¬ 
ing upon adhering to the roots. Thus obtained, they 
will grow freely, and spread in all directions. But 
when they are rudely torn from pieces of rock, the 
roots are injured, and the specimens suffer in con¬ 
sequence, frequently resulting in their death. All the 
mosses require a liberal supply of moisture at all 
seasons, to keep them in full health. A better proof 
of the truth of this assertion is not wanted than to 
point to the vigorous way in which they all grow natu¬ 
rally during the humid season of November and De¬ 
cember. To keep them in first-rate condition, they 
should have a liberal sprinkling overhead three times a 
day through the summer, and at other times twice will 
be sufficient, unless the weather is particularly dry and 
warm. There need be little fear of their receiving too 
much. In the winter there will be sufficient atmo¬ 
spheric moisture, in addition to the rains, to keep them 
