6 AEBANGEMENT OF THE PLANTS SUSPENDED PLANTS. 



when there is no heat in the pipes, the outward atmospheric air 

 is so warm that the air when admitted will not injure the plants 

 in the least. 



AEEANGEMENT OF THE PLANTS. The central stage may 

 either be a succession of steps or one broad platform. In either 

 case it is desirable to make each into a shallow watertight cistern, 

 to be filled with small pebbles j or, if kept empty, place in them 

 broad pans just high enough to be above the level of the sides. 

 These cisterns are intended to hold water during the growing 

 months, and thereby supply moisture to the air, and also protect 

 the plants from the destructive cockroaches. 



Around this central stage funs the walk, and on the side next 

 the wall a platform may very conveniently be placed. Ihe 

 surface of this platform may be formed exactly like the central 

 stage ; and on it many smaller plants may stand, and also any 

 that may go earlier to rest than the general collection. 



SUSPENDING PLANTS. These require hooks, or large-headed 

 nails, driven into the rafters to hang them to ; or a strong iron 

 rod kept well painted may be suspended over the walks, and at 

 proper intervals hooks made in the shape of the letter S placed 

 upon the rod, and to each of these hooks a basket or a block 

 containing a plant is suspended. There is this advantage of 

 having these plants hanging over the walk namely, that when 

 watered or syringed, the surplus water falls into the walk and 

 not on the plants. 



UTENSILS. -4 Cistern. The rain water that falls on the roof 

 should run into spouts placed just under the ends of the glass 

 frames, and conducted from them by a pipe into a large cistern. 

 This utensil is almost indispensable to the Orchid grower. The 

 water in it should be kept milk- warm. If placed upon the flue 

 the water will be kept sufficiently warm. It is highly useful in 

 that state for syringing with, and also to dip the baskets and 

 logs with plants on them in. Just before the plants in baskets 

 begin to grow, the peat from having been dry during the season 

 of rest will be found hard $ and then, if the plants require new 



