26 The Fern Garden. 



CHAPTER VI. 



FERNS IN POTS. 



ET us now make another advance in practice.. 

 Ferns are beautiful objects when well grown as 

 pot plants. To grow them well in pots de- 

 mands more care and skill than growing them in the 

 rockery, because there they, for the most part, take 

 care of themselves. But pot plants are at all times 

 more dependent on the cultivator, and must have con- 

 stant attention. If you fail at first do not be dis- 

 couraged, for the practice is attended with but few 

 difficulties. Begin with a few of the commonest, and 

 do not make a rush at rare varieties, until you have 

 got your hand and your mind in the work. It is a 

 great secret of success in cultivating any particular 

 class of plants to get used to them. 



There is a whole volume of philosophy in the last 

 sentence, and it applies directly and peculiarly to the 

 subject now before us. Whoever hopes to succeed in 

 fern growing must first grow a few in order to get 

 used to them, and having got used to them opera- : 

 tions may be extended and money may be spent ' 

 with some prospect of remuneration; but whoever 

 attempts too much at first will find that effort and 

 money and hope and enthusiasm have been wasted, 

 for disappointments in the early stages of a pursuit 



