ORCHID 



ORCHID 



1165 



ioned method of hot water under natural circulation will 

 be found best, using the regulation S^-inch pipe, run- 

 ning the flows along the back beneath the eaves and re- 

 turning along the floors beneath. See Fig. 1571, which 



1572. Lean-to house with northern aspect for Odontoglos- 

 sum crispum and other New Granadan Orchids. 



fairly illustrates a properly constructed house. The 

 quantity of pipe required for heating a house depends 

 upon the location and degree of heat desired. A slab or 

 board should be placed along the back of the side beds 

 to throw the heat against the eaves and protect the 

 plants from direct heat before it has assimilated with 

 the moisture of the house. 



The New Granadan house should be a lean-to struc- 

 ture of northern aspect, with a wall of stone or brick 

 along the south side to protect it from solar influence as 

 much as possible (see Fig. 1572). The glass should be 

 protected by canvas roller shades raised 15 or 20 inches 

 above the glass on framework. One side of the canvas 

 should be tacked along the top of the house, and the 

 other to a round wooden roller 3 or 4 inches in diameter 

 and as long as convenient to draw up; the two ropes 

 should be fastened to the ridge, carried down beneath 

 the shade around the roller, and up over the top to a 

 single pulley near the ends; thence through a double 

 pulley in the center and down over the top of the shade 

 to the ground. By these ropes the shade can be raised 

 and lowered in cloudy and bright weather at will (see 

 Fig. 1573). Solid beds and piping similar to the other 

 Orchid houses can be used, or as in Fig. 1571; viz., a 

 flow and return down each side connected with valves 

 so that either or both sides may be used as desired. 



Shading of some sort on the glass is necessary for all 

 Orchid houses from early February until November, 



1573. Cross-section of New Granadan Orchid house to show 

 solid beds and methods of heating and shading. 



and in some cases also during the winter months, to 

 protect the plants from the sun. It may be either of 

 canvas, as in Fig. 1574, or consist of whitewash or paint 

 applied directly to the glass. Whitewash made from 



fresh lime is perhaps the best to use, as it is easily re- 

 moved in the fall. The first application in February 

 should be light, following it with a second coat a month 

 later, and, if necessary, a third one in July. This will 

 wear off gradually and in most cases should be entirely 

 removed during December. It is easily removed with a 

 stiff brush. There are also patented shadings. 



The Two Great Horticultural Groups. Orchids are 

 horticulturally divided into two large sections; viz., 

 terrestrial and epiphytal, the former embracing those 

 which grow on the ground and derive their nutriment 

 more or less directly from it; and the latter those which 

 usually attach themselves to rocks and trees, and derive a 

 greater portion of their nutriment from the atmospheric 

 gases and accidental deposit of decaying leaves, or grow 

 among the various ferns and vines, which grow in 

 abundance on the rocks and trees of the moist-wooded 

 tropics, absorbing the various elements of their slowly 

 decomposing humus. 



Terrestrial Orchids grow at various altitudes, and 

 are widely distributed throughout both hemispheres, 

 the polar regions and arid deserts excepted. Many are 

 deciduous and tuberous-rooted; some grow from under- 

 ground rhizomes; others are pseudobulbous and decid- 

 uous, while not a few have reed-like stems. Examples 

 of terrestrial Orchids are Catasetum, Calanthe, Cyrto- 

 podium, most Cymbidiums, some of the Cypripediums, 

 Disa, Goodyera, Govenia, Habenaria, Lissochilus, many 

 Masdevallias, Microstylis, Neottia, Orchis, Pogonia, 

 Peristeria, Phaius, Sobralia, Spathoglottis, etc., all of 

 which should be sought under their special genus head- 

 ings in other portions of this work for cultural direc- 

 tions. They differ very essentially in structure, and in 



1574. Method of shading Orchid houses. 



many cases require a special method of treatment for 

 individual plants of the same genus, as Habenaria for 

 example, where some are found growing in rich, turfy 

 loam exposed to sun, while others inhabit wooded, 

 swampy locations. 



Many species of terrestrial Orchids nearly or quite 

 defy successful treatment under cultivation from lack 

 of knowledge regarding the mineralogy of their native 

 habitats, or from the plants being practically saprophytic 

 on certain species of decaying vegetation, or growing 

 only in connection with the mycelium of special fungi, 

 which may assist them in making proper growth. 



The hardy species, where a general collection is 

 grown, should be cultivated in pots in coldframes, as 

 many need protection during winter and others require 

 shade which can be supplied by painting the glass. 

 Our native hardy species-, however, do best planted out 

 in a properly constructed rockery, laid out in pockets 

 so that each may receive its proper compost. 



The more tropical species Cymbidiums, Cypripe- 

 diums such as insiffne, Phaius grandifolius, P. tnacti- 

 latus and P. Wallichii, Sobralias and some other ever- 

 green species thrive best in the Mexican or cool end 

 of the Brazilian house. 



Ansectochilus, tropical Goodyeras and Cypripediums, 

 Spathoglottis, and several genera of like nature, re- 

 quire the same general treatment as epiphytal Orchids, 

 with temperature of the East Indian department at all 

 seasons. 



Bletias, Catasetums, Cyrtopodiums, Calanthes, many 

 Lycastes, tropical Liparis and Microstylis, Phaius 

 Humblotii and P. tuberosus, Thunias and many other 

 deciduous and semi-deciduous species, should be grown 

 in the East Indian, or warm end of the Brazilian de- 

 partment, and during the resting period should be placed 



