S8 ORCHID -grower's MANUAL. 



may be used. If a span-roofed house be decided upon the 

 same height of ridge should be given as that recommended for 

 Brazilian and Mexican kinds, but it need not be so broad, say 

 about twelve feet, having two side tables with a path up the 

 centre, and two rows of pipes on each side, with side venti- 

 lators in the brickwork made to open, as well as top venti- 

 lators. We give a plan and section of such a house on p. 59, 

 to explain more fully what we recommend. 



From experience we have found that Orchids do best with 

 abundance of light, which is the only way to get good strong 

 ripe pseudobulbs fit for flowering. Small houses of the size 

 recommended are best. In different parts of the country 

 there exist large lofty houses, but in no instance have we seen 

 plants growing well in them ; such houses require a great 

 amount of fire heat to keep them at the proper night 

 temperature, and after all they seem ill adapted to the wants 

 of the plants. We would advise all large lofty Orchid houses 

 to be pu.lled down or turned to other uses, and their places to be 

 occupied by small ones. The expense of the operation would 

 soon be saved in the reduction that would take place in the 

 cost of pipes and the consumption of fuel. 



We have used single roofs for nearly forty years, and have 

 always found them to answer well, but a few years ago double- 

 roofed houses were adopted by many Orchid growers. In no 

 instance did any improvement in the health of the plants take 

 place, but rather the contrary, the result being that after a 

 time the system was abandoned, it having been found (in some 

 cases by dearly bought experience) that double-roofed houses 

 were a complete failure. We never had faith in the double- 

 roofed house ; and it appeared to us strange that growers of 

 these valuable plants should adopt such new ideas before they 

 had been well tried on a small scale by those who understood 

 the treatment of this race of plants. 



