148 
THE LADIES’ MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
As far as my own opinion goes, I confess I am no friend to plants in 
glass cases. They have a confined unhealthy look through the dingy 
glass, which is repugnant to all my ideas of floral beauty. This, however, 
is entirely a matter of taste ; as many persons much more competent to 
judge than I am think otherwise. 
Ferns and mosses succeed better than any other plants in glass cases ; and 
the best kinds are the dwarf species of Asplenium, Aspidium, Adiantum 
(maiden hair), Lycopodium (club moss), Polypodium, Pteris (brake), and 
Trichomanes. The appearance of these may be seen in Sowerby’s 
Cryptogamia, now publishing in shilling numbers. Other plants are—. 
Oxalis acetosella , the wood Anemone, the mountain Veronica, the bird’s 
nest Neottia or Lady’s tresses, Dentaria bulbifera, Paris quadrifolia, and, 
in short, all dwarf plants that grow naturally in low damp situations. 
Crocuses and hyacinths are also said to succeed in glass cases. Some 
account of the glass case invented by Sir John Robison, which is an im¬ 
provement on that of Mr. Ward, will be given in the next Number. An 
extract respecting Mr. Ward’s cases, is given in the present Number, 
under the head of 44 Extracts from Books.” See p. 145. 
AQUATIC AND MARSH PLANTS FOR A LONDON GARDEN. 
Having cut down the window of my back dining-room to the ground, 
I find that the flowers I have placed in front of it, within the room, on a 
broad slab of Alhambra Mosaic, are not sufficient to conceal the unsightly 
area, so common in the back premises of all London houses: to remedy 
this defect I have had an oblong wooden trough made (13ft. 4in. + 3ft.), 
coming close up to the window-sill, to be used as a fish-pond, having two 
receding rows of plants on either side of the stream so as to inclose the 
canal with flowers; a row of handsome shells on either side overhanging 
the water on a narrow iron rod fronts the plants. Can you point out 
any aquatic productions which would be likely to thrive in my narrow 
tank (1ft. 2in. deep) were I to sink them in pots ? my aspect is north, 
and I get very little sun. There is a pink autumnal-flowering and sweet- 
scented plant in the Bayswater end of the Serpentine, in Kensington 
Gardens. I do not know its name, but am told it is amphibious, and I 
have seen it in flower in the coarse gravel of new-made roads when 
covered with shingle : would it do, or do you know of any that would ? 
Could you name a few plants, not aquatic (besides the musk plant), likely 
to thrive in my sunless and limited premises ?— James Mangles. 
N.B. I have sponged the leaves of my Camellias as practised by your 
interesting and observant correspondent (see p. 44), and found the good 
