270 THE ORCHID REVIEW. [SEPTEMBER, 1908, 
drop below the normal required if it can be avoided, and I prefer to be a 
little above than below the normal. Then we are always safe to damp down 
twice, and often three times a day, even in winter time. I do not mean to 
say that this is advisable everywhere. I give this as our method, which we 
find acts first rate here. It is wortha trial where difficulty is found with 
winter moisture in houses, but mind that the temperatures are correct 
before trying it. 
‘We find that firing is the most important thing during winter. Keep the 
fires in hand, and then a little top ventilation can be put on during the 
middle of theday. Alittle fresh air, even on a frosty day, does a lot of good, 
if the houses are warm enough—not a lot, just half an inch for an hour 
will take all the stagnant moisture out. The pipes need not be red hot, just 
two or three degrees above what is required, then shut the houses up: 
and damp round, and there will be a fresh atmosphere, as nearly like that 
after a storm in summer as it is possible to get it artificially. 
On all fine days we syringe lightly overhead, and find this assists greatly 
in keeping down thrip, &c. It is also much cheaper than insecticides, and 
much better for the plants. Do not give the plants a drowning, but spray 
them. It will also save a lot of sponging, and is far better than watering 
plants as soon as they look a little dry. But do not forget you are doing it in 
winter time, and remember that you have fires to attend to, for you are not 
depending on the sun. 
One hears a lot about growing Orchids naturally, but a lot of the Orchids 
grown now are home raised, and the question is what is natural for home 
raised plants? Should they be treated as imported plants used to be, or as 
ordinary stove or greenhouse plants whatever the temperature they require ? 
I find they da much better treated more like other plants, and sprayed on 
every fine day, as we do our stove and other plants—not enough to make a 
lot of difference to the moisture of the compost they are potted in, but 
enough to keep the leaves clean and healthy. If they are given a little 
ventilation on every favourable occasion, one will not be troubled with spot 
or yellow thrip, and there is very little danger of leaves damping off if a 
little care is taken to keep the temperatures right. Keep a little higher rather 
than below the required figure, then everything will go right. Never syringe 
with a falling temperature, and always allow it to rise a ‘little after 
ventilating, but do not rush the heat—keep it as even as possible, and then 
thrip and red spider will not be any trouble. 
SEEDLINGS that were pricked off earlier in the season will now be ready 
for: potting into single pots. Care must be taken not to break the roots, or 
they will damp off. I prefer to pot into small single pots as soon as they 
cy aes i mt ein” 
» SOas not to have lumps in the pots which 
