CULTURAL DIRECTIONS. 



147 



Ferns in Pots. 



Ferns grown in pots require fresh potting more or less frequently, 

 according to their size and also to their power of growth, but in any case 

 it is advisable to avoid over-potting. It is well known among practical men 

 that these plants make their hardiest and most luxuriant growth when the 

 inside surface of their pots is already covered with a network of their roots. 

 These organs, in the majority of cases, are of a fibrous nature, and exceedingly 

 sensitive to even a temporary absence of moisture, which occurrence should 

 always be carefully avoided, as the results are generally very disastrous in 

 their effects. When a Fern has suffered from want of water at the roots, 

 the effect is shown by the shrivelling of the fronds, the older ones being 

 usually affected before the young growths. This peculiarity in Ferns is very 

 misleading, especially with persons not particularly well versed in their culture ; 

 for while in the case of most other plants, either of herbaceous or of woody 

 texture, the temporary flagging of the foliage is efficiently remedied by an 

 ordinary watering, or, at the most, by a thorough soaking of the roots, such 

 treatment has no apparent effect on the roots of most Ferns, and very few 

 indeed are the species whose fronds, having once flagged, regain their elasticity 

 by the application of water at the roots. 



When proper attention is given to Ferns after repotting, this operation 

 may safely be performed at almost any time of the year ; but it is best, speaking 

 generally, to commence in the warm-house about the beginning of February, 

 and in the cool-house about the beginning of March. In every case, it is 

 most advisable to have the plants repotted before their starting into new 

 growth. Old pots, when used, should be clean and dry : although the 

 plants may grow, and even luxuriate, in pots which have been used either 

 wet or dirty, they cannot fail to greatly suffer when they next require 

 repotting, as it will then invariably be found impossible to remove them 

 from the old pots without breaking a quantity of live roots, which will be 

 found to strongly adhere to their sides. Previously to their being used for 

 Ferns, new pots should also be put in water, in which they should remain a 

 sufficiently long time to get thoroughly soaked, and then be well dried 

 before using : it is notorious that pots fresh from the kiln absorb a great 

 quantity of water, and when their pores are not previously filled, it very 



