30 ORCHIDS : HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 



shading, and stoking, there is frequently some difficulty in keeping the 

 house exactly at a given degree of warmth. Slight variations are 

 bound to occur. It is quite natural, for the inside temperature 

 is affected by that prevailing outside, but extremes of heat or cold 

 must be avoided. If the temperature of a house should by accident 

 fall much below the necessary degree, do not force the fire at a 

 rapid rate in order to immediately restore the heat, but when the 

 weather is very cold cover the house with garden mats or other 

 material, letting the fire start gently, and the temperature rise slowly 

 to the proper degree. On the other hand, should the temperature, 

 through neglect of ventilation or some other cause, rise to a height 

 out of proportion to what is requisite, as it often will, most rapidly 

 when shading and ventilation in hot weather is not properly seen to, 

 then do not open the doors and ventilators widely, but at once run 

 down the roller blinds and open the ventilators gradually, in order 

 that the temperature may be brought down to the degree of heat 

 required. Good management and care will however prevent such 

 accidents, and a wise grower will not allow valuable plants to run 

 the risk of injury from such a cause. It is no uncommon occurrence 

 to see two healthy specimens of an Orchid, standing side by side, one 

 wet at the roots, the other perfectly dry. The sudden and rapid fall in 

 temperature would most likely injure the plant with wet surroundings, 

 whilst that with its roots quite dry would suffer more from extreme 

 heat, and yet the conditions of these plants at the time of injury may 

 have been overlooked and some other reason assigned as the cause. 

 Temperature and atmosphere must therefore go hand in hand, and with 

 the judicious application of fire, or sun heat, with air and moisture, a 

 suitable temperature for all seasons can easily be obtained. Just a 

 word or two as to a general rule. Avoid an internal muggy atmosphere 

 in close gloomy weather, and a fiery dry temperature in cold weather, 

 or excessive heat or cold at all times. 



I again refer to the subject of ventilation. No doubt, if properly 

 used, air is a most valuable agent; it is worth while to make it a 

 study, for successful culture is due upon the systematic admittance of 

 pure air. I remember hearing that well-known Orchid enthusiast, the 

 late Mr. Dominy, relate how well his Cattleyas grew at Exeter in a 

 house so glazed as to enable him to pass the handle of a budding knife 

 between the lap of each pane of glass. This would generally be too 

 much for the plants to stand in snowy and wintry weather, but then 

 Exeter is comparatively warm to some parts of England. Although the 

 above system may not be good to adopt everywhere, yet it clearly sets 

 forth that which is needful ; the ways and means of procuring the same 

 must necessarily be left very much to the judgment of the cultivator. 



The following tables are intended as a guide to amateurs in 

 securing the necessary temperature for Cool Orchids, Intermediate 



