14 THE BOOK OF FERN CULTURE 



to cut them off above where the crocks reach, and then 

 all the matted roots may be loosened out. By cutting 

 away the base it will enable the plants to be potted down, 

 so that the portion of the stem where the new roots start 

 from can be covered with soil. Under natural conditions 

 leaves and other materials accumulate from year to year 

 to provide for this necessity. 



Care should be taken that the soil in the pots is not 

 too dry or too wet at the time of repotting ; if it is very 

 dry it will be most difficult to wet it afterwards, and 

 when very wet it may squeeze up together and do 

 mischief that way. When necessary to water, the plants 

 should stand for a time before disturbing the roots. Size 

 of pots is an important matter. I have frequently seen 

 the small, delicate Ferns over-potted, while the more 

 robust have not had pots of sufficient size. 



When turning a plant out of its pot, it is easy to see 

 what its requirements are. If the roots are chiefly on 

 the surface, it will be evident that good drainage, and 

 rough material for the lower part of the pots should be 

 used ; for free-rooting sorts which root down, but little 

 space should be taken up with crocks. 



With such as do not fill the pots with roots, much of 

 the old soil may be removed and the plants potted again 

 in the same size, or in some instances in smaller 

 ones. It is safer to keep all weakly Ferns in rather 

 small pots than otherwise. In the notes on preparing 

 soils, temperature is referred to, and this must not be 

 overlooked. Another point is that tender sorts should 

 not be taken into a cold, draughty shed, or the roots left 

 exposed long enough to get dry. Where the potting- 

 shed is not connected with the fern - house, a small 

 movable bench may be taken into the house. 



Ferns do not require to be potted so firmly as many 

 plants, yet for those which have to remain in the same 

 pots for the whole year, the soil should be pressed fairly 



