24 orchids: now to grow them successfully. 



season's growth loss moisture is needed and may be partially, but 

 gradually, withheld. The season of rest having arrived, it is advis- 

 able to encourage an atmosphere that is airy, light, and bright, but 

 not so dry as to cause the plants to shrivel and show a yellow tint. 

 In such an atmosphere the plants will be sustained in health during 

 this period of rest without exciting premature growth, second 

 growths late in the season being very undesirable, for rarely can 

 such plants as Cattleyas and Dendrobiums finish off' perfectly 

 such growths, even in a long and fine summer. Evajjorating 

 troughs on the hot- water pipes are sometimes adopted to assist 

 in generating moisture. 



TEMPEEATUEE. 



As with the atmosphere, so with the temperature of the house, 

 success depends in a great measure upon good careful stoking of 

 the fires. Even where proper arrangements are made for ventilation 

 and shading there is frequently great difficulty in keeping the 

 thermometer exactly at a given degree, for the inside temperature 

 being affected by that prevailing outside, great care has to be 

 exercised in order to avoid extremes of heat or cold. For 

 instance, if a house should by accident get much below the 

 necessary temperature, do not force the fire at a rapid rate in 

 order to immediately restore the heat, but when the weather is 

 very cold cover the house with garden mats or other material, 

 letting the fire start gently, and the temperature rise slowly to 

 the proper degree. On the other hand, should the temperature, 

 through neglect of ventilation or some other cause, rise to a height 

 out of proportion to what is requisite, as it often will, most 

 rapidly, when shading and ventilation in hot weather is not 

 properly seen to, then do not open the doors and ventilators 

 widely, but at once run down the roller blinds and open the 

 ventilatoi's gradually, in order- that the temperature may be 

 brought down to the degree of heat required. Good management 

 and care will however prevent such accidents, and a wise grower 

 will not allow valuable plants to run the risk of injury from 

 such a cause. It is no uncommon occurrence to see two healthy 

 specimens of an Orchid, standing side by side, one wet at the roots, 

 the other perfectly dry. The sudden and rapid fall in temperature 

 would most likely injure the plant with wet surroundings, whilst 

 that with its roots quite dry would suffer moi'e from extreme 



