The Garden Under Glass

THE BEST FOLIAGE PLANTS 115 to set them bodily in a pail or tub of water for a few hours. Most ferns resent overhead syringing, yet like a moist atmosphere and shade from bright sunshine. Fems may be grown in pots, in baskets, and on walls, and often spring up spontaneously in the most unlooked-for places. A few of those most suitable for the general grower would be : Adiantum capillis veneris, A. cuneatum, A. gracilli-mum, A. farleyense ; Pteris cristata, tremula, serrulata, cretica ; Nephrolepsis exaltata, Duffi, davallivides. These are very easy to grow, and are those most often found in miscellaneous collections of plants. Palms Most greenhouse owners will have a few palms, if they only be kept for taking into the drawing-room or the hall on special occasions. Certainly they beautify a greenhouse at all times, and come to the rescue when there is a shortage of flowering plants—an occurrence which cannot always be avoided. There is not much to write about the culture of palms, for they have the happy knack of looking after themselves to a large extent. Neglect, however, especially in the matter of watering, will very soon produce brown tips to the leaves, while failure to give adequate shading will develop brown patches. Unless a palm is free from blemishes of this description it is scarcely fitting to use it to set o ff the beauty of other plants. Many forms can be grown from seeds, but the most satisfactory method is to buy young plants established in small pots. With correct treatment they will grow and last for a great number of years. There is notliing to surpass good fibrous, turfy loam for