Odontoglossum Andersonianum requires the same treatment as O. Alexandre 
and other cool Orchids, also the same amount of water. The plants must have 
good fibrous peat to grow in, and plenty of drainage, as they need to be freely 
supplied with water all the year round, and this, if allowed to become stagnant, 
would prove very injurious to them. The material in which they are grown must 
also be clean and sweet; and though they must never be over-potted, sufficient 
space should be allowed for their roots. We have sometimes seen Odontoglots in 
pots far too large for them, and though this may tend to make the plants more 
important-looking, yet it will eventually spoil them, as the larger amount of soil 
becomes soddened with water, and this produces rotting of the roots. 
RatseD Buixps For OrRcHID Hovsrs.—During the summer months we have found 
Raised Blinds very beneficial to the growth of Orchids, especially to those requiring 
cool-house culture. When the hot summer's sun is shining upon the glass, it is very 
difficult, were Raised Blinds are not employed, to keep the temperature sufficiently 
low. The glass roof of the structure upon which the sun is shining becomes very 
hot, even when shaded with ordinary blinds; but if Raised Blinds are used a current 
of air is allowed to pass over the entire surface of the roof, and the glass is kept 
comparatively cool. The effect of this is to decrease very appreciably the internal. 
temperature of the house; and the moisture, which would otherwise be dried up 
by the burning heat of the sun, produces a nice humid genial atmosphere in which 
Orchids delight. Having thus far referred to the advantages to be derived from 
_ the use of this method of shading, we may now explain briefly the mode of construction. 
Supposing that the house to be furnished with Raised Blinds is an ordinary span-roofed 
structure, it is necessary in the first place to provide a second ridge elevated about 
six inches above the top of the existing one. This should not consist of a solid 
plank, but of a strip of timber sufficiently strong to bear the weight and strain of 
the blinds and roller, and should be supported on blocks of wood placed at intervals 
in order to allow the current of air from below to find an outlet, which would not 
be the case if a solid ridge-board were adopted. Having arranged for the ridge, 
the next thing is to provide supports for the rollers; either wood or iron may be used 
for this purpose, but we have found iron to be the lightest looking and the most 
durable. Where the length of the rafters does not exceed say eight feet, half-inch 
rod iron will be found to be strong enough, and this should be cut into proper 
lengths, with the lower end turned up in a semi-circular form, so as to catch the 
roller when it descends, and prevent it from running off the supports. These 
Supporting rods should be fixed to the bars or rafters of the house, about six inches 
above the woodwork, by being welded to vertical iron stays, which latter should be 
flattened out at the base, and provided with holes so that they can be screwed to 
the rafters or bars of the roof. In this way a strong support for the blinds to roll 
upon will be formed; the: blinds themselves can be attached to the elevated ridge im 
the ordinary way, and the gearing usually employed for the purpose will be found to 
a well for pulling them up or down. Many Orchid growers have already 
adopted these Raised Blinds with very beneficial results—B. 8S. W. 
