REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ORNAMENTAL GARDENING. 213 



into five compartments, namely ; a rose-pit, 45 ft. by 20 ; a conser- 

 vatory, 25 ft. by 12 ; an orcliid liouse, 25 ft. by 20 ; and geranium 

 and camellia houses, 40 ft. by 20, the first and last named being at 

 the extremes, leaving the orchid house and conservatory in the 

 middle, where the heat is the greatest ; a verj^ ueat and glazed 

 potting-room being at the side of the conservatory, near the boiler. 

 Good light and ventilation, so essential to orchids, are provided, 

 and the experiment of ground glass, of which a portion of the 

 roof is made, has proved entirely successful. The whole is 

 heated by one of Zirngiebel's tubular boilers, running three rows 

 of pipes on each side, Vvhich Mr. Eand reports to be both economical 

 and efficient, giving all the warmth desired without difflcult3^ But, 

 as the writer well knows that some other boilers have proved emi- 

 nently satisfactory^ he would not be understood to express any 

 preference for the " Zirngiebel." 



The construction of the whole building is excellent. The 

 benches are of galvanized iron wire netting ; with iron supports 

 and narrow iron side guards, also galvanized. A large water 

 tank occupies the centre of the orchid house, with a walk around 

 it. Here water lilies and other plants were in perfection, and the 

 hanging baskets, cob-work, and orchid-blocks, above and around 

 the visitor, and the curious air-plants with a profusion of splendid 

 blooms, some of delicious fragrance, presented a lively display for 

 the season, many of the flowers continuing from four to six weeks 

 in beauty. This house was at a temperature of 70° and contained 

 many of the most beautiful of the Aerides, IxeUas., Vandas, On- 

 cidiums, Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, and other orchids of fine blooming 

 qualities — among them several plants of Calanthe veslita, both 

 the I'ed and the 3'ellow-eyed varieties, which were very admirable, 

 their drooping racemes of white flowers, against a background 

 of ferns, producing a lovel}^ eflfect. As these plants, unfortunately, 

 lack foliage in their flowering periods, a good background becomes 

 indispensable. The new hybrid, Calanthe Veitchii, was also in 

 bloom, sending up stalks two feet high, with rich rosy flowers ; 

 and plants of the Lycaste Skinneri alba, with their long arms full 

 of white blooms, were objects of great interest. 



Specimens of the Limatodes rosea, with flowers of different 

 shades, from light pink to deepest rose, on different plants, were 

 much admired. The Odontoglossum grande was showing a late 

 spike of large yellow and orange blooms three inches in diameter. 



