Ferns and Fern Culture. 49 
and hot water. The result will be two-fold—improved 
appearance and benefit to the plant by opening the pores 
of the pot and allowing the passage of air to the roots. 
Healthy plants having filled their pots with roots may 
be repotted thus: From 3in., to 44in., from 44in. to 6in., 
from 6in. to 8in., from 8in. to 10in. or llin., and from 
10in. to 18in., and so on. The measurements given are 
those across the pot inside at the top. 
The soil and the pots being ready, the latter should be 
crocked, that is drained, by putting a piece of broken 
pot, large enough to cover the hole, hollow side down- 
wards, with a number of others over and around it to 
the depth of an inch or so, according to the size of the 
pot. On the top should be placed a layer of moss or 
leaves. The object of the crocks is to allow the surplus 
water to drain away, and the moss is to prevent the soil 
washing among the crocks and stopping up the drainage, 
which would soon cause the soil to turn sour. The plant 
to be repotted may be turned out by placing the left 
hand over the ball of the plant, turning it upside down, 
and giving the edge of the pot a sharp knock on the 
bench. The pot may then be removed with as much soil 
and drainage as possible without injuring or breaking off 
the roots. A little soil should be put in the fresh pot on 
the top of the moss, the plant placed upon it, pressed 
down, and filled all round the ball with fresh soil, making 
it firm, but not hard, with the potting stick. The top of 
the ball should be low enough to allow a good supply of 
water being given—for example, in a 4in. pot it should 
be 3in. below the rim, the depth being increased accord- 
ing to the size of the pots used. 
The crowns of Ferns should be kept well out of the 
soil, and never buried, otherwise there is danger of their 
rotting. Some grow with underground rhizomes, which 
skould be buried; others have rhizomes running on the 
surface, and these should be fastened down with small 
pegs of wood or wire. 
This brings to view the necessities of those species for 
which pans have been recommended. Like pots, they 
must be clean, not wet, yet not as dry as from the kiln. 
They should be drained, covering the holes with large 
D 
