162 GREENHOUSE FEENS. 



arge classes of plants, they thrive best in a house by them- 

 selves; but, as we remarked before, many of them may be 

 grown by the sides of the path, just under the first shelf of 

 the stage. The more tender kinds, such as Cheilanthes and 

 NotTiocJilcena, must be placed on a shelf near the glass, because 

 the drip from greenhouse plants on the stage would quickly 

 destroy them. If convenient, a nearly upright mass of rock- 

 work at one end of the greenhouse would suit many of the 

 species. The soil for them, unless otherwise specified in the 

 catalogue, should be stronger than that for stove Ferns. We 

 found the following a good mixture for them : Two parts 

 mellow turfy loam, one part fibrous peat, and half a part 

 partially decayed tree leaves, with a few small pieces of 

 charcoal regularly intermixed among the compost, together 

 with plenty of sand. We generally prefer mixing the compost 

 a day or two previously to the one set apart for potting. 

 We think if it is mixed some months before, it becomes so 

 solid that the fine roots of the Ferns cannot so readily, if 

 at all, run through it ; and, besides that, it sooner runs 

 together, and will not so readily permit the water to pass 

 through and thoroughly wet the interior of the ball of earth 

 in the pot. Excepting for very delicate kinds, we find they 

 do best in rather large pots, providing they are thoroughly 

 drained. The best season for potting is in early spring, just 

 before the new fronds begin to shoot. 



The mode of potting is simple, yet requires care. Bring 

 the plant to the potting-bench, reverse it, and place one hand 

 under it close to the ball; then thrust the finger or a blunt 

 stick through the hole at the bottom of the pot, pressing hard 

 to force the ball out of the pot. The roots of the strong- 

 growers cling to the sides of the pot very tenaciously, and 

 require considerable force to separate them. In very obstinate 

 cases it may be desirable, rather than injure a valuable plant, 

 to break the pot, but the stroke to do it must be gentle, or the 

 roots will be bruised. Having got the ball out of the pot, 



