The Orchid-House, ^ 215 



Even in a wooden house, it is a good plan to channel the sash-bars, and 

 provide in the same manner for carrying off the water. 



Unless we design to have a number of houses for orchid-culture, it is 

 best to divide the house in the middle by a glass partition : this will give us 

 two houses, — one for orchids which come from the warmer parts of India, 

 near the heating apparatus ; and the other for those which come from cooler 

 climates, and which require less heat and moisture. 



Interior Arrangement. — The tables around the sides of the house are 

 for the smaller pots. A slight trellis-work fastened to any back or side 

 wall is useful for such plants as vanilla and renanthera : it should be set 

 out a few inches from the wall, in order that the roots of the plants may 

 not be chilled by a cold surface. 



In the arrangement of plants, care should be taken to place the largest 

 and tallest growers in the centre of the table, and to grade down the plants 

 to the sides, as thus a symmetrical effect is produced. Some growers pre- 

 fer stages or shelves ; but the arrangement on tables seems preferable to 

 all others. 



The tables are often made hollow, and filled in with moss or sand, 

 through which a heating-pipe passes, thus giving a gentle bottom-heat : the 

 plants are either placed on the moss, or the pots plunged in it. Some 

 plants grow most luxuriantly under this treatment. Of course, it is neces- 

 sary to keep the moss constantly wet. 



The tables should be of brick or slate laid in cement. 



Cisterns for water should be provided, supplied with rain-water from the 

 roof of the house : these should be warmed by the heating-pipes being 

 carried under them. A good place for these cisterns is all along the sides 

 of the house ; then the pipes can run under them the whole length, and 

 a shelf for plants may be placed on top of them. The best material 

 for table is slate : the best for floors is soft flagging which will hold 

 moisture. 



All tables should be so arranged as to hold water. The pots should be 

 placed on pebbles in the water during summer ; but, in winter, the shelves 

 should be dry. 



Plants in baskets or hanging pots should be suspended to the rafters 

 over the walks ; as, thus, no drip comes upon plants below. 



