THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 2, 1859. 
FERN PILLARS. 
I am very desirous of calling your attention to a Fern-brick, 
the invention of Dr. Watson, a medioal gentleman of this city. 
I have enclosed a few pencil sketches, showing the adaptability 
of them to various purposes of ornamental Fern growing. The 
original intention of the inventor was to form a temporary wall 
or pier with square bricks, so that they might be taken out and 
replaced at pleasure; but I consider their greatest merit is to 
adapt them for ornamental conservatory or greenhouse decoration, 
A few explanations will give you my meaning. 
A square brick, nine inches by four inches and a half, having 
its centre scooped out, a scollop-shell pattern is moddled to fit 
the lower part of the hollow. This forms the front, and has a 
very ornamental appearance. They can be built one over the 
other for a pier or a wall at pleasure. A hole in the bottom of the 
hollow cavity is made, sloping to the back of the brick, for drainage. 
The invention appears to me to possess the most merit when 
constructed into pillars of any convenient height, and cemented 
together or not at pleasure. The hollow space in the centre (as 
shown in the accompanying sketch), could be filled with damp 
moss, hay, &c; the vase on the top containing water, which could 
be contrived so as to slowly percolato by adjusting a cork to the 
holo in the bottom; and the water, supplying the roots of the 
Ferns by passing into the centre of the pillar, would always 
maintain a regular and an abundant moisture, so as to ensure a 
healthy growth in the driest atmosphere. 
I consider it a matter of small importance which of the Ferns 
are planted north or south in the sides of the pillar ; certainly 
the most fragile fronds would be benefited with all possible shade. 
The chief point I consider is to arrange them so that the erect- 
growing ones occupy the part of the pillar beneath the level of the 
eye ; and the drooping ones on a level, or above the level of the eye. 
In the subjoined list I have marked those for the lower half 
with e, the upper half with d, and named only those that are 
cheap, readily obtained, and easy of cultivation. Those marked 
f are fragile in texture, and would be benefited by a little shade. 
e. Polypodium pectinatum. 
d. „ vulgare, var. Cambricum. 
E. Goniophlebium loriceum. 
e. Plilebodium aureuru. 
E. Phymatodes longipes. 
d. Niphobolus lingua. 
E. Campyloneurum ensifolium. 
E. Drynaria diversifolia. 
E. Struthiopteris Germanics. 
D. Phegopteris calcarea and vulgaris. 
d. ,, dryopteris. 
e. d. Mynopteris lanagera and myriophylla. 
D. Cryptogramma crispa. 
d. Platyloma Brownii, falcata, and rotundifolia. 
D. Adiantum pedatum, affine, and formosum. 
f. D. „ hispidulum and Ethiopicum. 
F. d. ,, cuneatum, assimile, and Capillus Veneris. 
E. Pteris longifolia, umbrosa, and semipinnata. 
d. E. „ tremula. 
e. Litobrochia vespertilionis. 
E. d. Blechnum occidental and gracile. 
d. Doodia aspera and caudata. 
d. Woodwardia radicans. 
d. Asplenium lucidum and marinum. 
F. d. „ trichomanes, fontanum, and flaccidum. 
e. x>. „ bulbiferum, polyodon, and adiantum nigrum. 
f. D. ,, filix-feemina, cars. crispum and multifidum. 
F. d.e. Ceteracli officinarum. 
E. Onoclea sensibilis. 
E. D. Cyrtomium falcatum. 
E. Nephrodium Hookerii and molle. 
F. D. Cystopteris bulbifera and fragilis. 
E. Lastnea podophylla montana. 
E. ,, filix-mas, cars, cristata and pumila. 
E. „ marginalia and Goldiana. 
E. Polystichum pungens and Capense. 
X). Davallia bullata and Canariensis. 
E. Cyathca dealbata. 
The above are all adapted to greenhouse culture.—J. Tyeeman, 
j Upton Nurseries, Chester. 
RETAINING MOISTURE TO PLANTS IN POTS. 
Youe correspondent Mr. S. Tattersall, page 210, recom¬ 
mends the shelves of small greenhouses to be made with a 
rim round them, to contain a layer of sand, on which the pots 
arc placed, thus retaining a beneficial degree of cooling moisture. 
! From my own experience, in a small way, 1 have, I think, de¬ 
rived the same benefit without interfering with the shelves. My 
i plan is to fill, or nearly fill, each pan or saucer with sand (I use 
: silver). The sand, of course, is kept damp by the drainage from 
