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while each year a second set arise when the first has 

 matured, and this in turn becomes as perfect as the first. 

 Obviously the pan must contain a dense mass of roots and 

 the soil looks as black and unhealthy as it possibly could, 

 and is maintained in a constantly sodden condition. On 

 the principle of "leaving well alone" the old fronds are 

 left to rot away and their remains swathe the pan, which 

 stands on a low shelf at the shady side of my Fernery but 

 with a strong top light. All my fern-loving visitors are of 

 opinion that a 12 or 14-inch pot at least should be pro- 

 vided for such a specimen, but there is the "specimen" 

 itself as proof of what a small quantity of soil can suffice 

 if the other needs are attended to. 



A crispum Hartstongue which I planted by the side of 

 the tiled path in my Fernery, in soil which was practically 

 nothing better than grave), did so well that it became one 

 of the finest specimens I ever succeeded in growing. The 

 gravel was loose with large stones, and on examination I 

 found these permeated with a mass of brown roots covered 

 with aerial rootlets, and these proved to be of such shallow 

 penetration that eventually the whole plant fell over and 

 had to be tied up ; so here again it was clear that quantity 

 of soil was needless in this case as in the previous one. 

 Furthermore, I have in my Fernery a cork and slate 

 hanging pocket, formed of a roofing slate, about 24 inches 

 by 14 inches, with a curved sheet of cork bark attached to 

 it by copper wires so as to form a receptacle about 4 or 5 

 inches from front to back, while a smaller curved piece 

 forms the bottom. At least 25 years ago (note the period) 

 this was made and filled with soil, and in this at the top was 

 planted a crested Lady Fern, while in several holes made 

 lower down in the cork other small Ferns were installed. 

 All these Ferns have not only lived but thriven, and a 

 mass of Selaginella, one of the weeds of my Fernery, 

 veils most of the cork as well. Here the amount of soil 

 orginally was not very large, and although during the time 



