to prevent the temperature falling below 40 in the winter, and in 

 several gardens they are so grown with excellent results, the plants 

 being placed upon a bed of sifted ashes and carefully looked after to 

 prevent the depredations of slugp. 



When houses are set apart for Orchids the staging to be employed 

 requires some consideration. The plants need a constant moisture 

 round the roots and foliage when in growth, and cool-house Orchids 

 must have it at all times. This i- provided in various waj s. In some 

 cases the stage is constructed o. <date slabs with iron supports, and 

 upon it is placed a layer of fie pebbles, spar, shells, small coke, or 

 coal, the chief objection to the- -wo last being their dull appearance, 

 though they are now much employed in nurseries. Whatever 

 material is selected it must be kept constantly moist by syringing or 

 otherwise, and the plants are either stood direct upon the material or 

 elevated on inverted pots. In Messrs. J. Laing & Co.'s nursery 

 corrugated zinc is now generally employed as staging for Orchids 

 and other plants, being covered with a layer like that described. It 



is very durable, and forms a use 

 ful storehouse of moisture, while 

 preventing any undue accumula- 

 tion. Open wooden stages are 

 frequently placed over the solid 

 stages and the plants arranged 

 on these, where, if the supports 

 are isolated ly means of little 

 cups kept filled with water, as is 

 now practised in some of the best 

 collections, there is no danger 

 from slugs, woodlice, or other 

 pests of that character unless 

 they are introduced in the soil 

 with the plants. In warm houses 

 the lower stages are often planted 

 with Panicum, small Ferns, Sela- 

 ginellas, &c., which have a pleas- 

 ing appearance and serve more- 

 over to preserve a healthily 

 moist atmosphere. They are 

 sometimes objected to as har- 

 bouring insects, but with the 

 double t-tage there is nothing to 

 be feared in that respect. For 



Pig. 14. An Orchid Case. 



such houses as that at Oldfield, Bickley, where the Phalaenopses are 

 nearly all suspei/.ded from the roof, it is a great improvement and 

 very beneficial, When central s'ages are employed they are usually 

 of open lattice Selves, over tanks or beds of some material, old 



