The Fernery at the Fireside. 
47 
charcoal^ and the siftings of broken pots, varying from 
the size of a hazel-nut to that of a pea, with plenty of 
silver-sand. I never measure the ingredients of any 
compost; but the beginner may like to be saved from 
doubt; and therefore let the proportions be taken as 
follows:—Peat three parts; silver-sand one part; broken 
charcoal and crock-siftings one part. This compost 
should be broken up and mixed with the hand; and 
should be in a free lumpy state. Ferns will never 
prosper if the compost is sifted; but a little of the 
finest of it should be put aside to dress the surface 
with when the planting is completed. Now; take a 
can of boiling water; and water the soil till you have 
supplied enough to rise to the top of the drainage. 
The water should be poured into the centre first to 
warm the soil gradually; poured against the glass 
suddenly it may shatter it. I have used the boiling 
water now for many years on every occasion of planting 
a fern case; and have not yet had one accident. With 
a little caution there is no risk. The use of the boiling 
water is to destroy every insect that may have escaped 
your eye when breaking up the peat. It will not only 
do that; but kill their eggs also; and equally make an 
end of the seeds of weeds and the mycelium of fungi; 
all of which are enemies better got rid of at first than 
to be hunted for when their ravages become a source of 
alarm. The over cautious may of course scald or bake 
the materials before filling the pan; in that case they 
must not be put in the pan until nearly dry again. 
When the pan is nearly cold the ferns may be 
planted; and the process of planting will consolidate 
