Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-08-29

AsOSno 10Auaou IhOoS VI IL c
background. To give depth and
height there should be one really
handsome rock n each bowl.
Others may be concealed by the
soil, building up the scene, or
they may furnish something on
which ferns may lean, or MOSES
may creep. Small stones help in
drainage and give compression to
fern roots which need it in their
natural state.
Remembering t h e old adage
about stones and glass houses, 1t
Is obvious that none of the stones
should be too heavy. Lava is
liR htest in weight. Mineral speei-
mems are usually heavy and may
divide the interest in the garden
which should naturally focus in
the plants.
Flat rocks are useful for an.
chorage, Is for building up
lodges. Dark rocks need touch
of red to tighten them.
White or cream colored ones
are especially good with maiden
hair fern. and give a Springlike
effect. Chips of red or blue flint,
SO frequently found about old In
dian camps where spear and ar
rowheads were made, are valu-
able for color, and on account of
their thinness make useful dlvi-
ders.
Having assembled all the max
ings of your garden, having put
in the charcoal. and having built
the foundation CONTRARY to Scrip
ture) on sand, 1t is time to insert
your rocks. These serve as bal
last, and to anchor the plants
which 60 in next, with judicious
amount of dirt to h Id them
down. and perhaps another rock
to pinch q slab.sided root with
the same amount of pressure it
originally h d. Quartz rocks
make good snowy peaks.
Then more dirt, perhaps rock
ledge with a dwarf fern beneath
it your tallest specimens maybe
tiny trees with sedums in corners,
and flowers to give color.
Very little soil is used, probab-
ly two cupfuls. but it must be
good soil, neither adobe, nor clay.
In lifting ferns and MOSES
enough soil can be taken with
their roots. Soil containing ferti-
lizer should not be used.
The beauty of the glass garden
lies largely IN the simplicity of
the plant materials. 1t is we'll to
use just a few carefully chosen
things with plenty of room to
grow 10, for. with no sudden
changes of temperature to con-
tend with, a nearly tropically
luxuriance of growth often re-
suits.
Native ferns admirably adapted
to this type of gardening are
those which grow in rock pockets.
The Beaded Lace fern Is good for
crevices. Pellea ornithopus. 1.-THE
Birdfo DOT fern). and Pellea
brachyptera (Which looks like a
tiny Christmas tree), in their ma
tural state are stiff from the ex-
tremes of heat and cold which
they endure but become delicate
and graceful in glass houses.
A dwarf sword fern, three to
four inches in height Is especial
ly good for centerpiece. Its cur
ly fronds always seem as If just
unfolded. and they grow in a
whorl which gives perfect bal
ance.
All ferns should be outstanding,
and should not touch the glass
too much. Contact is likely tC
make them shrlvel and t u n
brown at the tip. Maiden hair,
of the. Venus hair type. not the
Five Finger, which Is too tall
gives sottness and touch o I
Spring.
Ferns should not be over six
inches in height to start with.
One great delight with ferns is
to watch them unfold. 1t is pos
sible to so place rocks that tiny
ferns will seem to emerge natu'
rally from under the little lodges
which anchor them.
Club moss, lycopocium. grounc
pine or selaginella, all are good il
the glass garden. A little of THU
goes a long way. 1t is better usec
in slender sprays in etched effect
than in large pieces. In collect
Ing, be sure to get the Mother Of
Moss with it. This is a thicl
hairIike skin on the back of the
moss, which contains the roots
and which helps it to cling tt
rocks and absorb moisture.
Mossy saxifrage is starry will