22 orchids: how to grow them successfully. 



wliicli any caipenter can fix. These roller blinds should be 

 affixed by the end of February, so as to be ready for use when 

 wanted, for it is frequently found that, without such shading, 

 bright sunshine will do much damage early in the spring, even to 

 plants which are able to stand the full blaze of the sun in summer, 

 and that is brought about by the plant having passed through 

 months of dull weather, perhaps with weeks almost sunless — 

 and, being in consequence in a less hardy state than usual, are 

 unable to bear a sudden burst of sunshine of a few hours' dui-ation ; 

 then, if shading is neglected, the foliage gets burnt and damaged, 

 checking growth and giving an unsightly appearance to the plants ; 

 it is therefore most important that after a long spell of dull weather 

 the plants should be gradually accustomed to stronger light and 

 sunshine. The roller blind system of shading is far better than 

 colouring the glass with whitewash or othei' similar preparation, 

 which keeps the house too dark in dull weather for the wellbeing of 

 the plants, whilst, in bright weather, the temperature of the house 

 is likely to get much too hot and dry, bringing on the propagation 

 of various insect pests. The sides and ends of the house maj 

 be permanently shaded by colouring matter through the summei-, 

 but this should be washed off again in September. 



Various materials luay be used for blinds, but there is one 

 manufactured for the purpose, wliich can be purchased of our 

 leading nursery and seedsmen ; this is made of various textures, the 

 thicker material suitable for shading Cool-house Orchids, and the 

 thinner for plants requiring less shading. The blinds should be 

 taken down in the autumn — some of them may be dispensed with 

 at the end of September — and, when quite dry, can be stowed 

 away until the following spring. 



Another system of shading, and perhaps for Orchids the best 

 of all, is that shown in Fig. 10 {see page 51). This is made of strips 

 of deal, a quarter of an inch thick and an inch wide, and as long 

 as the depth of the roof of the house — they are made in about 

 six feet lengths. Thus a house 18 feet long would require thiee 

 lengths for one side, and, as these are so easily rolled up, all that 

 is needed is to place them on the wooden framework above the 

 glass, and rolling or unrolling them by the hand as necessary. 

 They are made by tying the strips together with twine, leaving 

 space between each strip of from a quarter to half an inch, as 

 required for the different plants. 



