120 GREENHOUSE FERNS. 



and that the plants are dormant through the winter: con- 

 sequently they may be kept under the stages or platforms, or 

 on shelves against the back wall. In such a state they 

 require but little care, only to be kept moderately moist. The 

 evergreen varieties, however, must have due attention paid to 

 their having a full share of air, light, and moisture. 



SOIL FOR GREENHOUSE FERNS. 



This section of the Fern tribe requires the same kind of 

 soil as those that are grown in stoves. The compost should 

 consist of that light, open, fibry kind of peat which may be 

 found where the wild Ferns abound amongst decayed moss, 

 fibry roots, and decaying leaves. The common black peat is 

 unfit for this purpose, being too heavy, and holding water too 

 much ; in fact, when thoroughly wet, no Ferns will live in it. 

 Large-growing Ferns would thrive all the better for having 

 added to the fibrous peat about one-third of turfy loam, taken 

 very thinly off a pasture, and chopped into pieces varying from 

 the size of a boy's marble to a hen's egg. Use both the peat 

 and loam without sifting; mix them well together, and add 

 silver sand enough to give the compost a sandy character. 

 For small-growing species use the peat without loam, only 

 adding the sand. For seedlings, or very young plants of any 

 kind, put the compost through a half-inch-meshed sieve. 



DRAINAGE. 



The best material for drainage is undoubtedly broken pots 

 at least we may say so, without fear of contradiction, for the 

 drainage at the bottom of the pots. Some recommend cinders, 

 others moss, and some oyster- shells. The cinders we object 

 to, because they are difficult to pick out from amongst the 

 roots on repotting ; the moss, when decaying, becomes a 

 muddy, stagnant mass, and oyster-shells cannot always be 

 obtained ; whereas, unfortunately, broken pots are always 

 (where pots are used in any quantity) handy they may be 



