200 HISTOEY OF BEITISH FEENS.
lopment day by day— w’ould contribute to the thorough
understanding of them and their differences.
We venture to hope, therefore, that some of our readers
may be induced to fit up a Wardian case for the Club-
mosses ; and with a view to assist them in so doing we offer
a few suggestions and hints as to their cultivation.
A small Wardian case, a northern aspect, a few blocks
of sandstone, and some peat soil, are the materials that
would be required.
No contrivance could be better adapted to their wants
than a Wardian case, which, while it would protect them
from the changes of temperature incidental to a lowdand
climate, would secure to them a calm and moist atmosphere,
which they all prefer. The interior should he fitted up with
an artificial mound of “ rock-work,” made of lumps of soft
sandstone, in the disposal of which there will be an opportunity
for the display of much taste. At the base of the
“ rock-work ” there should be a httle pond of water, in
which Isoetes and Pilularia might be cultivated. A portion
of the peaty soil should be introduced into the interstices
of the rock-work, and about its base on the margins
of the water. In the former situations the smaller and
alpine species, such as alpinum, annotinum, and selaginoides,
should be planted; while on the lower and damper
parts should be placed such as inundatum and olavatum.
The soil employed should be peat earth intermediate in
texture between the spongy and the unctuous kinds; that
used among the rock-work may have in addition a portion
of the sandstone pounded and intermixed with it. That used
for inundatum in the lower part of the case will not require
this intermixture, and, in fact, will be the better as it approaches
the unctuous texture just referred to, w'hich the
presence o f a good supply of water wiH soon give to it.
All parts of the soil should be kept rather moist than
otherwise, by the application of fresh water occasionally;
but as the confinement of the atmosphere in the damp
state, in a close case, might tend to produce decay in some
parts of the vegetable tissues, the little door or hinged sash
may from time to time be left open for a few hours, in
order that the stagnant moisture may be carried off, when
a fresh supply wiU be doubly grateful to the plants.
It must be recollected, that the soil will be exposed to
very slight drying influences, and can, therefore, never require
to be very copiously supplied at any one time; the
proper course being, rather to ventilate frequently, say
once a week, in order to carry off the accumulated dampii!'
ill I