22 COOL ORCHID GROWING. 



say nothing of many species belonging to other genera, which 

 commence their growth during our autumn and winter months. 

 To attempt to rest such as do this, or to withhold a sufficiency 

 of moisture either in the atmosphere or at the root, cannot 

 possibly conduce to useful results, but, on the contrary, would 

 do the plants permanent injury. The best results are invariably 

 obtained by cultivators who are ever watchful and careful to 

 assist Nature's efforts, and who are equally cautious never to 

 thwart her in her workings, knowing, as they do, that she is 

 invariably the best, and, in some cases, the only reliable 

 guide to success. The cultivator who would succeed with 

 Orchids, more especially with such as are grown in the- 

 high temperature of the East Indian house, should be careful 1 

 to supply an abundance of moisture to the atmosphere of the* 

 house during dry, sharp, frosty weather. This may sound 

 absurd to some, but the reason for recommending this course 

 of treatment is obvious. During frosty weather, as a rule, 

 the atmosphere is drier than at any other time, not even 

 excepting the hot days of summer; and in addition to this 

 unnatural dryness, which a glance at the hygrometer will 

 prove, the hot-water pipes are generally scorching hot ; add 

 to these two unnatural conditions the careful use of water so- 

 often advised during winter, and one need not wonder at 

 Vandas and Aerides becoming parched and shrivelled until 

 they look more like leather thongs than what they ought to 

 be if rationally treated. Again, how often are we told that 

 Orchids when in bloom should be removed into a cool and dry 

 temperature, in order that they may last longer in beaut}'. 

 Do they last longer in perfection in a cool and dry atmosphere 

 than they would in a cool and moderately moist atmo- 

 sphere ? I have found the latter to be most favourable to the 

 preservation of flowers, and which I am fully convinced, from 

 experiments with cool Odontoglots and Oncids, will be found 



