Live Moss as Drainage for Pots. 369 



Art. V. On Live Moss as a Substitute for Potsherds, Cinders, 

 and similar Matters, as Drainings for Pots. By Mr. Thomas 

 Parkins. 



In p. 134. are recorded some experiments on draining pots 

 with coal cinders, accompanied by some pleasing and useful 

 remarks. The most common method of draining pots is, it is 

 well known, by using broken pieces of pot, or potsherds ; which 

 practice, there can be no doubt, became general from the cir- 

 cumstance of such materials being always at hand. It is gene- 

 rally difficult to root out long-established practices, and sub- 

 stitute new ones : I, however, have been trying if " living 

 matter " would not answer for draining pots ; and the success 

 which has attended my experiments enables me to recommend 

 the practice strongly. In the autumn of 1833, I received some 

 carnation layers, which had been taken up the day before, and 

 I potted them in the usual way. About a month after this, I 

 received another set of layers, which had been brought nearly 

 200 miles across the country, and which, consequently, had been 

 out of the ground some time. The pots in which these last 

 were potted were drained with live moss ((Sphagnum L.). On 

 turning the plants out of the pots into the border, this spring, 

 I found the latter much superior to the former, being more 

 healthy and stronger plants ; which I attribute entirely to moss 

 being used as drainage, instead of pieces of broken pots. About 

 the same time I potted some fine suckers, using moss for drain- 

 age; and at their removal, in March, I found the pots full of 

 fine fresh roots. These results have induced me to adopt the 

 plan almost universally this spring ; and all the plants so potted 

 present a most healthy and luxuriant appearance. Although 

 moss may be considered powerfully absorbent of moisture, it 

 will nevertheless permit a more easy percolation of fluid than 

 any such compact material as a piece of broken pot. But this 

 is not the only advantage gained by its use. For rapidly and 

 luxuriantly growing plants it is surely of some consequence to be 

 able to transfer them from one pot to another without injuring 

 the roots, as is unavoidably the case when pieces of broken pots 

 are used. Moss, however, not only affords drainage, but, by its 

 slow decomposition, a lasting, and perhaps rich source of food 

 to the plants growing in it; consequently, when the proper time 

 arrives for the plants to be repotted or transplanted to the 

 flower-border, it will be unnecessary to remove the moss, which 

 will not only save time, which is often wasted in picking out the 

 broken pieces of pot, but will prevent any danger of injuring 

 the roots. 



Cannon Hall, near Barnesley, May 17. 1834. 



