48 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [FeBRUARY, 1922. 
AN AMATEUR’S EXPERIENCE. 
By JOSEPHINE R. WALKER. 
FTER reading my January article I should like to explain that though 
A we never admit air by opening any ventilators, it is because our 
conservatory, on the sides, has the glass resting on edge, not overlapping, 
consequently there are any number of chinks and spaces through which air 
is always entering. In the autumn and winter, when the wind is south, it 
is as airy as the mountain tops. Perhaps this has something to do with 
our success ! 
Though our experiences with Dendrobiums under present conditions 
have been sad, we have always had a love for them, and have now built, 
inside the conservatory, a small glass house in one corner over the rig ht- 
angle run of double pipes. It looks quaint, and is irreverently christened 
by my small son, the “ Monkey House.” Anyhow, we find we can maintain 
70° by day and 65° by night. A kind friend has fitted us up with some 
Dendrobiums, so we are going to have another try, and will report progress 
in due time. The same friend has also sent some Vandas, so we are getting 
ambitious, and going to have a try with them. 
The lantern-roof of the conservatory is about 25 feet high, distinctly 
airy, and in the summer very hot and moist ; it has occurred to us before 
that it might suit the Vanda family very well. But there was always the 
difficulty of getting to them, so having received the plants we have had to 
devise a means. We have Constructed a small shallow cradle of light wood, 
with a small water trough in the bottom, which we shall fill with pebbles 
and water in the summer. 
§teatest ease, so we hope the 
the conditions as much as to 
We have just been breaking up and repotting some of the Mexican 
Lelias. We thought we should like 
, and later give them a sur- 
close to the glass, where they 
all. The bulbs have never been 
sunshine of last summer. Of 
Stay throughout the season Without shade at 
better than this season, due to the tropical 
