90 THE BOOK OF THE GREENHOUSE 



of the subject, one plainly sees the impossibility of 

 emulating such success except under the similar 

 conditions of having many other houses from which to 

 draw the plants needed to keep the Show house gay. 

 By dealing rather largely with varieties of a few species 

 that may be well grown together, one gets the pleasures 

 of comparison and of noting the differences which add so 

 much to the attractions of the flowers. Through this 

 channel comes the love which one gets from one's plants, 

 a very different feeling from the pride of having a so- 

 called good " collection " of plants. 



Many dwellers in towns find great pleasure in the 

 cultivation of Orchids, and, as there are many of these 

 quaint and beautiful plants which may be grown in a 

 cool house, when their requirements are understood 

 and catered for, and as fresh importations are being 

 frequently and cheaply sold, there is little to pre- 

 vent any one who has a greenhouse from attempting 

 their culture. A point in their favour for small houses, 

 with limited accommodation, is that they grow but 

 slowly and are not constantly becoming in need of more 

 room either as regards the roots or the top-growth. 

 Orchids require special treatment of their own, but are 

 not by any means difficult plants when once the details 

 as to temperatures, the principles of watering, applica- 

 tion of shade and ventilation are mastered. Many of 

 these plants gather most of their moisture through 

 their aerial roots, and this has of course to be provided 

 by the atmosphere of the house. Many of them, too, 

 have a fairly long resting season during which the 

 supply of water must be strictly limited with a view of 

 preventing out of season growth which would be 

 calculated to throw the plants out of gear, and this in 

 turn would prevent the production of good flowering 

 growths. Strong root growth made at the proper 

 season lays the foundation for good health and successful 



