298 



THh: (iAHDENKlVS MONTHLY 



[October^ 



The thonnomotcrha.'? boon as low as 34" often, and 

 once to 28'^. I do not yive it water ofteiier than 

 once in two weeks. From Xoveniber 1st to 

 April 1st, it never fails to <;ive nic plenty of 

 blooms ; had oiiihty blooms open at one time by j 

 actual count. Aloni;side of it han^sa i^ood stroni; 

 plant of ('. Loddiijesii, luus tliis day about thirty 

 blooms open, and more coming. This has been 

 in the same place two 3'ears. These very low 

 temperatures are ofcour.se not desirable, and too 

 low for Camellias. But many Orchids from 

 South Brazil, and some Dendrobes will winter 

 very well with a maxinum of 50° and niininuun 

 of SS**, but the bulbs must be sound, and the liouse 

 just moist enough to keep the bulbs plump with- 

 out too much water. D. nobile seems to me 

 to bloom far better if it is rested two or tliree 

 months in a temperature such as I have above 

 stated. I think with oiu- bright Fall months w'c 

 have a great advantage over European Orchid 

 growers, and especially those of England, where 

 they have so nuich cloudy weather. And om- 

 winters have a much larger proportion of sunny 

 days than either England,N"orthof France, Bel- 

 gium or Germany. We have much to encourage 

 us in the cultivation of Orchids in this country, 

 and when we get to importing them direct from 

 their homes, we will grow specimens that would 

 do credit in any exhibition. It may be that we 

 of the Middle and Southern States may find trou- 

 ble with such as Disa,Masdevallias and others that 

 come from a fog enveloped country ; but Den- 

 drobes, Oncids, Cattleya, Lselias, -<Erides, &c., 

 should and will be grow-n far more successfully 

 than in Europe. We have better sunlight and 

 sunheat, and moisture and air as needed. I 

 think also that we will yet grow many kinds in 

 the open air in the months of June, July, August 

 to the middle of September. That it can l)e done, 

 I know from experience. At the time of the Vien- 

 na Exposition, a friend of mine, the late Mr. A. 

 Hack, of Baltimore, went to the Exposition, leav- 

 ing his plants in care of a colored man. I promised 

 him to look in about once a week and see how 

 things got on. In his collection was a small lot 

 of very choice Orchids, iErides, Vandas, Den- 

 di-obes, Cattleyas, &c. Finding that they were 

 doing badly in the hot dry house, and getting the 

 thrips, I took them out of the house and placed 

 them on tables on the north side of the house, 

 in a place where the sun only shone about one to 

 two hom-s in the morning. I improvised an awn- 

 ing to keep off very heavy showers of rain. They 

 were watei'ed every morning, and syringed in the 



evening, as I was desirous of getting rid of the 

 tiu-ips. They all grew lincly, made dark stroui; 

 leaves and bulbs. And I did not lose over a 

 dozen out of over one hundred and lifty plants, 

 and those lost were almost gone when In'oughl 

 out. Tliey were out at least ten weeks, and the 

 thermometer rammed from (lU^ to \)\'^. It is my 

 intention to i)ut u]) a ])lace in an open piece of 

 woods, and try my Mexican and Brazilian Or- 

 chids in the open air. I cannot see why a tempera- 

 ture of from fiO'' to 90'' should not grow Orcliids 

 as well in the United States, as in Brazil. I have 

 seen the temperature on the Organ Mountains, 

 where so numy fine Oreiiids grow, 40*^ at day-light 

 and 95° at 2 P. M., I would not advise anyone to 

 try Orchids in the open air, without having the 

 place so arranged that they could be sheltered 

 from heavy rains. I have grown Sobralia macran- 

 tha, Epidendrum einnabarinum. E. crassifolium 

 and several other common varieties very finely iu 

 the open air, but I have l)een a little fearful of 

 trying experiments, as my stock is not too strong. 

 My experiment with Mr. Hack's plants was 

 forced on me, as I found that they would be lost 

 if kept in the house. If nothing happens I shall 

 certainly try some of many varieties in the open 

 air next Summer. If I lose them I will only add 

 one more to the list of martvrs to science. 



CLASS PANELS. 



BY MRS. C. S. .roXES, MONROE, MO. 



Another box has panes of glass slid into groved 

 mouldings, w^hich form oblon<r panels along the 

 front and ends of each box. These glass panels 

 are embellished in various wavs. X trulv artis- 



tic taste, satisfied only with genuine art work, 

 will paint each one, and for this purpose educated 

 and skillful hands are not required, but tube 

 colors applied to a design, placed beneath the 

 glass, whether it be a landscape, groups of 

 flowers or fruit, or geometrical figures, will ap- 

 pear quite imposing when finished. 



