ORCHIDS. 



SINCE it has been discovered that some Orchids can 

 be grown in cool greenhouses in this favoured clime 

 with the greatest ease, a demand has arisen for this 

 beautiful race of plants. A few degrees of frost do 

 not seem to injure them, as they have been success- 

 fully grown in a fernery from which frost was not 

 excluded. In the following remarks only those 

 kinds which are called cool-house Orchids will be referred to, 

 and which are known to succeed in a greenhouse without 

 any extra amount of care or which require the skilful treat- 

 ment of a professional gardener. 



Orchids are grown in baskets suspended from the roof, 

 in imitation of their natural condition as parasites on trees, 

 but they can be equally well grown in pots on the stages. 

 The latter system is to be recommended for the amateur 

 who may not be able to give frequent attention to the plants, 

 as treated in that way they do not dry up so quickly. When 

 grown in pots there should be a shallow pan fixed under the 

 stages to contain water, which will supply the necessary 

 moisture by evaporation. When grown in baskets suspended 

 from the roof the plants must be plunged in water for a few 

 seconds every day during the Summer months, but in 

 Winter once a fortnight will suffice to keep them in the 

 necessary condition of moisture, the water being previously 

 warmed. Shade is essential during the Summer and 

 Autumn. 



The materials for growing Orchids are good sweet fibrous 

 peat in lumps, charcoal, broken brick, and sphagnum moss. 



