122 oKCHiD- grower's manual. 



fleshy, requires more substance and hardihood. We have 

 seen Anmctochili grown in bottom heat, which we find to be 

 injurious ; they succeed in it for a time, but not long ; they 

 grow too fast, and become so weak as often to die altogether. 

 Some few plants which we once had in bottom heat we 

 removed to a cooler house without it, and under cooler treat- 

 ment they improved very rapidly. 



The finest collection we ever saw was under the care of the 

 late Mr. Toll, when gardener to the late J. A. Turner, Esq., of 

 Manchester. The plants were grown under bell-glasses in the 

 stove, but no bottom heat was applied. Mr. Turner purchased 

 a plant of each kind from us some years ago ; these had been 

 grown and propagated, and he had large pots full of them, 

 many plants of a kind being placed together. This shows 

 how well they may be grown without bottom heat. We have 

 also seen them doing well in other places without bottom 

 heat ; in short, they may be grown without having an Orchid 

 house at all, any common stove will do, or even a well-heated 

 pit. We have frequently sold collections to gentlemen who 

 have no other Orchids, but who have bought these for the 

 express purpose of growing them for the decoration of the 

 dinner-table, on which they have a beautiful appearance by 

 artificial light. As the taste for table decoration is increasing, 

 plants such as these will doubtless be more sought after for 

 that purpose ; and the subjecting of them to exposure for a 

 few hours in a warm room will do them little harm, provided 

 they have glasses over them with a ventilator at the top to let 

 out moisture, so as to keep the leaves dry. As they are 

 generally grown in small pots, they can be plunged in hand- 

 some vases with ornamental glass tops, and when done with, 

 taken back into the heat. For room work let the foliage be 

 dry, and there should not be much moisture at the roots. 

 We should not, however, advise them to be used in the way 



