34 COOL ORCHID GROWING. 



ORCHID HOUSES IN THE NATURAL STYLE. 



THE frontispiece shows an Orchid house in the natural style 

 and gives some idea of the beauty and grace of that fine tribe 

 of plants when judiciously arranged. Still, however beautiful 

 houses arranged in this manner may be made to appear, 

 from an eesthetic point of view I can scarcely hope for thoir 

 general adoption at present, though even the most enthusi- 

 astic admirer of Orchids must admit that our Orchid houses, 

 as at present arranged, are not generally noted for any 

 special beauty or elegance, in any other than a floral sense. 

 Indeed, when the generality of Orchidaceous plants are out of 

 flower, they do not give a tithe of the pleasure that an ordinary 

 observer would derive from a collection of the commonest 

 Ferns or Succulent plants. To the professional Orchid grower 

 or enthusiastic amateur, there is a certain attractive beauty in 

 the strong growths, fresh foliage, or plump pseudo-bulbs, but 

 an ordinary visitor overlooks these minute details, the general 

 effect of the whole only being taken into consideration. Some 

 Orchids, however, have a graceful habit, as Aerides, Yandas, 

 and a few others, but in general they are unattractive when 

 not in bloom. We get a step nearer to natural arrangement, 

 and see a little more of its beauty when we group gracefully- 

 habited Ferns and Palms along with our Orchids. As I have 

 before pointed out, Orchids grow luxuriantly in their native 

 habitats in close contiguity with Ferns, Melastomads, Grasses, 

 and Palms, and it is possible to follow nature to a certain 

 extent in the way of natural arrangement here in our Orchid 

 houses at home. I am quite well aware of the practical diffi- 

 culties that present themselves to our notice, and know that 

 these in some cases are amply sufficient to preclude the possi- 

 bility of the natural system being attempted, but there are 



