THE ORCHID REVIEW. 53 
ORCHIDS ABROAD AND AT HOME. 
Notes of a Lecture delivered before the Members of the Kew Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Society on December 7th, 1896, by Mr. R. A. Rolfe. 
(Continued from page 15.) 
I HAVE already pointed out the varied climatic conditions under which 
Orchids occur in a wild state, and, besides these, there are some local 
peculiarities which must be taken into consideration. It is extremely useful 
to know whether any particular plant grows in what may be called a 
comparatively equable climate, or one where the difference between the 
seasons is very pronounced, and, fortunately, plants themselves afford some 
indication of this. Such plants as Bolleas and Pescatoreas, Masdevallias, 
or Phalznopses, which have nothing in the way of fleshy pseudobulbs, do 
not come from extreme climates, as do the deciduous Dendrobiums, and 
the Catasetum group. In temperate regions the difference between the 
seasons largely resolves itself into one of varying degrees of temperature, 
and the period of rest, or cessation of vegetative activity, corresponds to 
the cooler part of the year, but in warmer climates rainfall is of more 
importance, and plants usually grow during the wet season and rest during 
the dry, though the temperature of the latter may be the greater. Some 
climates are intermediate, and the periods of rest and activity are influenced 
both by temperature and rainfall. These factors should all be borne in 
mind by the cultivator. 
The amount of light and shade is also a matter of great importance. 
Some plants will only grow in partial shade, others like all the sunlight 
possible, and there is a great diversity between various Orchids in this 
respect. Altitude, especially in its influence upon temperature and climate 
generally, has already been touched upon. The question of food supply we 
will consider presently. 
We have now seen a little of the varied conditions under which Orchids 
grow, and may next consider how the cultivator attempts to meet their 
requirements. First. with regard to temperature. In any establishment 
where a general collection is grown there will be a Warm house or Stove, 
often called the East Indian house, for the accommodation of tropical 
lowland species ; a Cool house for Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, and other 
alpine Orchids which grow in temperate climates; and at least one 
Intermediate house for plants whose requirements fall somewhere between 
these extremes. Generally speaking, there will be two or three houses of 
the latter class—the Cattleya house, Mexican house, and Intermediate house 
proper. In larger establishments there may be two or more houses of these 
different types, as the Dendrobium house, the Phalenopsis house, &c. And 
