134 WINDOW GARDLirm . 
and open or are closed by a little button fastener. The size is as follows : Heighl 
of vase and glass, 5 feet 9 inches ; width of vase, 2 feet ; height of glass frame, 3 
feet. In the top of the glass frame Mr. Hibberd suspended four half cocoanut 
shells, in which he planted some ferns ; holes are cut in the bottom for drainage; 
and copper wire only used for hanging them. The contents are thus described 
by Mr. Hibberd in his i^'loral World : " This case contains at the present time 
two pretty climbing plants ; one is the common Ivy of the British woods, Hedera 
helix ; the other is Lygodium scandens, an elegant climbing fern. The palm- 
like fern in the centre is Nephrolepis exaltata — the finest fern in the world for a 
centre piece; both because of its character and also that it may be cut without 
spoiling it, if it happens to grow too tall. With it are examples o? Pteris cre~ 
tica albo-liiieata, an elegant variegated fern ; Niphoholus lingua — a hardy tongue- 
like fern ; Onychium Japomcum, most delicately divided ; Pteris crenata, Las- 
trea glabella, Doodiacaudata, Aspleiiiuinviride, and some bits of Selaginellas, 
Anemone neinorosa, and a few Mosses. 
The Ivy gained a footing quite by accident. This, with other of our cases, is 
frequently exhibited. On one occasion, in preparing some cases for a festive 
meeting, we introduced into this a number of little twigs of common Ivy among 
the ferns. The case was left undisturbed afterwards, and then on removing the 
Ivy one of them was found to have rooted. It was allowed to remain and it 
soon formed a rich shell on one side of the glass, without lobbing a single fern of 
a ray of light. There it lemains to this day ; it is now some nine years old as an in- 
habitant of this case, and is as vigorous as ever. A few lengths of fine copper 
wire serve to train the Ivy and the lygodium, which add ver}-- much indeed to 
the beauty of this little garden. This case stands in the window, and has only 
the warmth of an ordinary room in winter. 
For a fern case to stand in the sunshine all the time, and with a room of high 
temperature, choose the following tender ferns : In the centre place a fine plant 
of the Cheilanthes farinosa ; then add here and there Anemidictyon, phyllitidis, 
Olfersia cervina, Diplazium radicans, Asplenium fragrans, Lomaria attenu- 
ata, Pteris calomelanos, Fadyema prolifera, and a few tufts of the Selaginella 
caesium and S laevigata." 
Among fern decorations nothing is so striking, and yet so novel, as the fire 
brick. For filling a vacant fire place and making the screen appear ornamental, 
nothing is of better fitness. They are the invention of a physician, Dr. G. 
Churchill Watson, of Chester, England, and so constructed as to fit into the sides 
of walls of conservatories, ferneries and greenhouses, afifording a convenient 
method of rendering a blank wall useful as well as ornamental. They are made 
of porous material, usually pottery, and round or oval shaped, with a concave 
centre, in which may be placed wet ferns, mosses or Lycopodiums. They are of 
different sizes, from 31 inches in diameter to 14 inches, and adapted to the place 
where they are most needed. The largest can be used to fit into the niche of an 
unused fire place, and the smaller ones can be used to fit the niches of a fern col- 
umn or pillar. A fern pillar is one of the curiosities our parlor gardeners do not 
