

46 BRITISH FERNS 
centre for ventilation if needed, and swing glass doors at both ends, 
permitting of easy access, but closing tightly. The box has, or 
should have, a zinc bottom, provided with a tap for withdrawal of 
surplus water. To prepare it for use, a good layer of broken flower 
pots should cover the bottom, over which should be laid a mass of 
fibrous material, moss, or coarse peat fibre, to prevent the soil from 
choking the drainage, and upon this is spread sufficient peaty, 
sandy, open compost to more than fill the box, a heap being made 
some inches higher than its edges. Upon this a small rockery of 
porous stone may be made with advantage, and planting may then 
be begun. Undoubtedly the best Ferns for such a case are the 
delicate Filmy Ferns, Trichomanes radicans, Hymenophyllum 
Tunbridgense and wnilaterale, and small plants may be used of the 
charming New Zealand and Australian Todeas, T. superba and T. 
pellucida. The Hymenophyllums are small-growing moss-like Ferns 
which form mat-like masses, and these must be planted by being 
pegged down on the surface of the soil, then mulched with, or rather 
buried beneath, a handful or so of the sandy compost, which must 
then be washed in until the fronds reappear. Trichomanes radicans 
must be planted in like fashion, except that its creeping rootstocks, 
after pegging firmly to the soil, need only the mulching and washing 
process, the fronds being much larger. The Todeas form crowns and 
do not travel and hence should be planted in the ordinary way, 
on the top of the raised soil. In the chinks of the rockwork, if such 
be used, Asp. trichomanes will grow well, provided the fronds are 
not wetted. The planting done, a good watering should be given 
to settle-the soil, and then if the case be kept closely shut, the Ferns 
may be left alone practically for months. The case should be 
placed where it gets plenty of light but no sunshine, a north window 
suits it well. After the installation and subsequent watering, the 
surplus water should be drawn ой by the tap, as if left, it is apt to 
breed sourness in the soil. If other Ferns than Filmies are used, 
they must be selected from the dwarf forms, or smaller species, 
air should occasionally be admitted, and morning or evening sun- 
shine will do no harm. The stronger the light and the nearer the 
case is to the windows, the less they will become drawn. To plant 
small specimens of robust growers is a mistake, since they will 
inevitably lead to overcrowding and distorted fronds. The Wardian 
Case is also extremely useful to accommodate spore pans or pots, or 
young Ferns prior to potting on. The still, humid conditions are 
ideal ones for Fern growth, and the risk of drought is reduced to a 
minimum. Returning to the Filmy Ferns, we do not advocate 
repeated waterings overhead ; if the soil be moist, the air is always 
damp enough to keep the fronds in good condition, and promote 
healthy growth ; in fact, if the soil is seen to be moist, the more 
they are left alone the better. Bell glasses and receptacles are 
practically the same thing as Wardian Cases, and require the 

