April 22, 18C9. ] 



JOUIiNAL OK HORTIOUIiTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



267 



COOL-HOUSE ORCHIDS. 



5 HEN Orchids are grown in vineries, groon- 

 liouses, or other plant structures, these 

 plants are under tho same conditions of 

 te:n|)erature, atmospheric raoisttire, and 

 ventilation as the particular subjects for 

 which tlie houses are set apart. If the 

 principal object be Grapes, as it ought to 

 be in every structure erected for or devoted 

 to Vines, then the temperature, moisture, 

 and atmosphere must be such as are necessary to secure 

 them of good size and quality, and the plants of any other 

 kind whicli may be grown in the house must be those that 

 will conform to the same treatment, and have no csscatial 

 of culture at variance with that of the main object for which 

 the house is set apart. As regards the conditions already 

 named, Orchids have a great similarity to Vines ; both 

 have a period of active growth, one of maturation, and 

 another of rest or inactivity. In the iirst period an in- 

 crease of heat, greater moisture, especially 'atmospheric 

 moisture, and free ventilation are required for the purpose 

 of securing vicorous growth : and the second period, as 

 respects the Vines, is one when less moisture, greater 

 ventilation, and not less heat are necessary for the per- 

 fection of the fruit, and for perfectly ripening tho wood. 

 The third period is one needing cold, always having regard 

 to the safety of the plant from frost, and di-yness both of 

 the atmosphere and soil, but not to such an extent as to 

 cause the wood to shrivel, or the roots to dry up and perish ; 

 but the less moisture ailbrded in either way to the Vines 

 ■when in a state of inactivity the more complete will be 

 the rest, and the greater the benefit to the Vines. Now, 

 Orchids need all this, their requirements being — 1st, Gonial 

 warmth, and a moist atmosphere when they are maldng 

 new growtiis, and a continuance of the former with the 

 latter in a less degree until the growths are perfected : 

 2nd, An abundant supply of water when gi'owing and until 

 the pseudo bulbs are full-sized, and have become plump 

 and firm ; and .'h'd, A complete rest, obtained by dryness 

 of the atmosphere, and a lower temperature, witli no water 

 at the roots beyond that necessary to prevent the shrivel- 

 ling of the pseudo-bulbs, and drying-up of tlie roots. 



There are differences, however, betiveen the requirements 

 of Vines and Orchids. Vines delight in light, . nothing 

 opaque should intervene between their foliage and tho 

 great source of light and heat to the earth ; but Orchids 

 are known to succeed best with a slight shade from the 

 du'eot powerful rays of Hie sun ; therefore they have one 

 condition essential to their successful culture furnished by 

 the Vines — viz.. shade, and yet it is not that fixed <jloomi- 

 ■aess given by shading material, as cnnvas, &c , but the 

 powerful solar rays seem to be lessened or broken, whilst 

 the light and beat are not materiallv diminished in con- 

 sequence of their contact with the Vine leaves. 



Another difiVrence is that Vines are not injured by 

 exposure to cold that would prove destructive to Orchids. 

 Vines, when woU matured, and with a di-y soil and atmo- 

 sphere, are not injured by 32° of frost, or when the thermo- 



No. 121.— Vol. XVI., Nek Sebiks. 



meter is at zero ; but such a temperature would be ruinous 

 to almost all Orcliids which are epipliytes, and there are 

 few terrestrial Orchids that -ivuuld escape from such an 

 ordeal without a thick coating of snow. Tliis difference 

 between Orchids and Vines in the endurance of cold is the 

 only great one in the conditions required by the two in 

 vineries. But the Vines, though they will endure a great 

 extreme of cold, are not benefited thereby: hence they 

 niav be kept at a temperature when inactive and leafless 

 which will secure to them a perfcjct and complete season of 

 rest. Practice )uis shown us that the Vine will not be 

 excited unduly into growth, nin- be deprived of its essential 

 rest, through being kept in a house which does not exceed 

 -10° fi'om fire heat. If the temperature from fire heat often 

 exceed that, the buds begin to swell, and they are deprived 

 of that rest necessary to their making free and vigorous 

 growth— it is adverse to their well-doing, and on that 

 account it is seldom that such good Grapes are grown in 

 houses expected to furnish flowers in winter in addition to 

 Grapes in summer, for the temperature necessary for flower- 

 ing plants in winter is too high for the Vines, as tho tem- 

 perature for flowering plants must not often be less than 

 ■l.j°, and it is often 5(V, and that from fire heat. 



There are few Orchids that will safely endure a less 

 temperature than 4ii° for any great length of time, and 

 yet such ought to be the temperature fiom fire heat of 

 every vinery during December, January, and February, 

 where the Grapes are not wanted to be ripe before 

 August, the Vines being allowed to start naturally, as they 

 will do, in March, and receiving a little assistance from 

 fire heat in cold periods during spring and early in summer, 

 the house being in winter employed for the preservation of 

 bedding-out plants from frost and damp, or in other words, 

 used as a cool greenhouse. Such a house is only suitable 

 for a limited number of species, but some Orchids will 

 succeed there although no fire heat be given, except to 

 exclude frost and dispel damp. We have vineries tluxt are 

 started early in February, and are assisted with lire heat 

 from the commencement until the Grapes are ripe, say in 

 the end of July. A house of this kind is more suitable for 

 Orchid culture than the first-named : for in February we 

 have a temperature of from .to" to fjO" at ni>;ht, in March 

 one of from .')()'' to 0.3°, and by the end of tho month or 

 beginning of April it is 00° at night, and this tempera- 

 ture is maintained up to August, and in that month and 

 September the temperature from natural bc;it alone is 

 seldom below (iO°, or at least .^.^"at night. Over 'all these 

 night temperatures there is an increase by day of 10" or 15° 

 without sun, or with but little, whilst on clear days the 

 thermometer will often indicate 8.5^ or 90° During April, 

 May. June, July, August, and September the tomijerature 

 is that of a cool stove or intermediate house, and in Octo- 

 ber and Febniar^^ it is that of a warm greenhouse — from 

 '15° to 50" at night, there being but three months in which 

 the temperature approaches to that of a crcenhouse. 



I,astly, there are vineries started in January having in 

 that month a temperature of from •.:.")° to 30°, in Jlarchfrom 

 5.5° to t;iO°, and from April to September the temperature is 

 seldom, if ever, below (iO° at night, and often enough 05° ; 



>Jo. 1073.— Vol. XLI., Or d Se:uE3. 



