THE ORCHID REVIEW. . 341 
any, are attended with complete success. My experience of ten winters in 
- this district still leaves me lacking a treatment that can by any means be 
termed perfect, but during this time various methods have been tried, the 
outcome of which is as follows: keep the plants and the atmosphere as 
dry as possible, consistent with reason. Admit little or no air, and keep the 
temperatures at their lowest points, so that undue dryness be not promoted 
by fire heat. Of course one cannot always have every plant in a state of 
dryness just as a visitation of fog occurs, for it often happens that a bright 
day precedes a fog, and one is tempted to make use of the opportunity to 
do a little extra watering, and the night brings a change of wind attended 
with our much dreaded enemy. Under these circumstances a little more 
fire heat will be beneficial to assist the plants in driving off the super- 
abundant moisture, though in no case should the mercury rise more than a 
degree or so above the normal standard. 
As the year wanes, a gradual decrease in the temperatures recorded in 
last month’s Calendar should follow, being always careful not to employ 
more fire heat than is absolutely necessary. Too strong an emphasis 
cannot be laid on this piece of advice, for other conditions being favourable, 
there is nothing more prejudicial to plant life than excessive fire heat. If 
by any chance the temperature rises above the needed point by this means, 
it is not advisable to throw a lot of water about the house to counteract its 
parching influences, but rather admit a trifle more air, always through the 
bottom ventilators. This course could not, however, be followed if the 
outside conditions are not favourable to the admission of air; then 
one has to be content with turning the valves off, and wait for the 
temperature to recede. 
Where possible, a covering of some description should be used on the 
cooler houses at night during severe weather, to save as much as possible 
the use of fire heat. We do not remove the roller blinds from our 
Phalaenopsis house, for we find a great saving of heat is effected by running 
them down at night, and also they do, to a certain extent, exclude fog, 
especially if the latter be not of long duration. I have been informed by 
one who has proved it to his own satisfaction, that the new lath blinds 
greatly assist in the maintenance of a suitable temperature inside, where 
they are used at night on the roof, and also that benefit accrues from having 
the fronts or sides and ends of the houses covered with sections of this 
valuable adjunct. One great disadvantage in connection with the use of 
blinds in winter is that during severe frost the material freezes to the 
rafters, and they have to be either left down until they have thawed, or in 
the attempt to roll them up, the canvas gets torn. Many a time at a 
celebrated public garden have I been on the roof with hot water trying to 
ease the blinds sufficiently to roll them up. A very useful and efficient 
