CCLTUBE. 25 
tween two sheets of white paper, pressing them slightly 
to keep them in place. In three or four days an abun- 
dance of spores was discharged from the spore-cases, and 
they were attached to the damp surface of the stones by 
inverting the latter on them, care being taken that they 
did not lie too thickly. The stones were kept moist, and 
covered by glasses. In this way many species were 
raised without a failure ; and by this process the kinds 
sown were raised with certainty, which is not often the 
case with the ordinary process, stray spores in most cases 
intruding themselves in some unsuspected way, and leading 
to disappointment. Any one who makes a garden of this 
kind under a bell-glass, must observe that the material 
used is so porous that the requisite amount of moisture 
may pass to the top by capillary action, when applied to 
the bottom of it. Also, that with an abundance of light, 
the sun must not shine directly on it. " No kind of vege- 
tation," concludes Mr. Deane, " that I am acquainted with 
has ever struck me with such wonder, admiration, and 
delight, as the little crops of Ferns thus raised." 
SOIL Nearly all ferns like the soil more or less sandy. 
A mixture suitable for all the purposes of pot-culture may 
be thus compounded : Take of fibry mellow loam, light 
spongy peat, and well -decayed pure leaf-mould, equal parts, 
and mix them with sand. For all the stronger-growing 
species use the soil in the rough state, to which it will be 
reduced by merely chopping it fine with the spade, and 
add to it an eighth part of clean but coarse sharp sand. 
For all the smaller and more delicate species, rub the soil 
through a sieve with half-inch square meshes, and be 
careful to rub through as much of the fibry portion as 
possible; add to it a sixth part of clean silver sand. In 
both cases mix up with this compost a fourth part of 
crushed sandstone, broken to the size of walnuts, and 
smaller for the vigorous growers, and of the size of hazel 
nuts and smaller for the more delicate sorts. 
POTTING. Pot ferns must always have thorough 
drainage. One fourth of the depth of the pot should be 
