283 
THE FERN PARADISE. 
for the True Maidenhair. Mix peat and silver- 
sand together, the former predominating, and in 
the mixture let there be some broken pieces of 
limestone or sandstone. Or, if you will, imbed in 
the soil two large pieces of limestone or sand¬ 
stone ; put them near together; fill up the inter¬ 
stice with some of the soil you have prepared, 
and plant the delicate rhizomas of the Maidenhair 
between. The pot or case in which it is grown 
you should half fill with broken pieces of stone or 
flower-pot, intermingled with a few pieces of 
charcoal to keep them sweet. Then upon this 
mixture of broken flower-pot and charcoal place 
the peat and silver-sand, and thereon plant your 
Fern. If you have a window in which no sun 
shines, you may there suspend your Maidenhair in 
the half-shell of a cocoa-nut. But holes must be 
bored in the bottom of the shell, so that when you 
occasionally dip it and its beautiful occupant into 
water, the superabundant moisture may drain 
away; for remember that Ferns cannot endure 
soil rendered unwholesome by stagnant water. 
The moisture which they need must be fresh and 
pure. The exceptional delicacy of the True 
