84 
THE FERN WORLD 
The potted Fern must therefore have careful regard paid to 
drainage. This should be abundant, and should consist either 
of small pieces of broken bricks, or, what is more commonly 
used, broken potsherds or ‘crocks.’ Small pieces of hard 
mortar may, too, be advantageously mixed with the other 
material, especially when the Ferns to be grown are the stone- 
and-mortar-loving species. Over the hole at the bottom of 
the pot should be placed a concave ‘ crock,’ with its concavity 
downwards. Then upon and around this, and covering the 
bottom of the pot, to a depth of from one to two or three 
inches, according to the size of the pot, and according also to 
the kind of Fern to be grown, the remaining crocks or knobs 
of brick and hard mortar must be arranged, the larger pieces 
first and the smaller ones upon them. To prevent stagnancy 
in the drainage, place in it one or two small pieces of charcoal. 
As another means of preventing stagnancy, it is desirable not 
to have too great a depth of soil over the drainage. Neither 
must the latter be of too great a depth, because in that case the 
fine terminal roots, which are, so to speak, the scouts of the 
plant, will be tempted to permeate the mass of crocks during 
some period when they are kept exceptionally moist ; and if 
afterwards they become drier, though the surface soil of the 
pot is sufficiently moist, injury will be done to the plant. 
Upon the drainage of crocks should be placed first, the largest 
knobs of compost, which must be varied in character accord _ 
ing to the species of Fern, but should consist in a general way 
of fibrous peat, leaf-mould, rich loam, and sand in about equal 
proportions. The finest portion of the compost must be filled 
in at the last. It is advantageous to place enough moss to 
cover the drainage thinly between it and the compost. This 
has the effect of preventing the latter from descending into 
the drainage. In large-sized pots there should always Ik* two 
or three holes at the sides, near the bottom, as well as at the 
bottom, as better drainage is thereby promoted, and the 
