59 
wo men, however, broke away from the current i del CO with 
conspicuous success. ‘‘ One of the first of these was Jose 
gardener to Earl Fitzwilliam, at Wentworth" (1885). “A Pn bolder 
innovation was adopted shortly afterwards by Paxton, at Chatsworth." 
In both cases the essential innovations were lower temperature and 
increased ventilation. The old tradition still, however, held its ground :— 
**plants perished under the barbarous treatment they received in the 
hot-houses of this country almost as fuk as they were im] [U 
such an extent were the losses felt, that Lindley, in a remarkable article 
published in the Gardeners Chronicle tow ards the P e x or 
pronounced xo treatment ‘a deplorable failure, and 
Bateman also some years later characterised as vinerdaible” ‘folly? 
(Veitch, 7. c., 
The first great step in the improvement of orchid culture was “the 
Elcot, near Newbu he inventor of the process is said to have 
been à Mr. ishinen » (Veiteh , 1. €., pp. 122, 123). 
The same writer sarap in the following words the chief features of 
modern practice :—“ Larger and more airy structures, with sera 
compartments for dierent climates (for large collections even separate 
houses) ; a lower average temperature, the admission of more light and 
air, and a better system of heating, shading, and ventilation" (Z. c., 
p. = 
It must, however, be admitted that a peat he number of species 
still féfdee A submit to pre aet conditi Cattleya citrina, 
many species of Oncidium, and the eautiful Cingalese Dendrobium 
‘MasCarthie are examples familiar Mt every orchi er 
One species, however, that is usually found to b: m Diacrium 
bicornutum, has always been grown at Kew with little difficult 
the other hand it seems. impossible to grow Dua grandiflora there with 
success that attends its n at Edinburgh and Chatsworth. 
Perhaps the most baffling genus of all is Anæctochilus, the species of 
which, under wiped identical conditions, will sometimes flourish 
with facility, while at other times, for no discoverable reason, they 
refuse to grow at à 
In 1846 the T house, which now forms the east wing of the 
ont Fern House (No. II.) was erected on the site of an old stove 
(No. 3 of Dr. Lindley's Report. Sir William Hooker described it (in 
1846), as “ occupied with a rich and inestimable collection of orchideous 
plants (of which a great propor ortion was presented by Her Most 
Gracious Majesty).” "This gift was recorded by him in 1844 as “ the 
entire and valuable collection oe orchideous plants formed at Woburn 
Abbey, which on being offered er by the pese ip of preatord, 
to admit of a raised b through the centre, thus enabling (^ visitor 
to look down upon each side of the hous se, while, ov r his head, and 
from the rafters on either hand, are suspended wire basta filled With 
beautiful tropical epiphytes . . . cs the house in question aa REP n: 
to another and cooler stove (No. 2. now the west wing of No. 1I. 
are enabled to remove the splendid ipli tes, when in ‘blossom, toa cae 
heated atmosphere, and thus preserve them in beauty for a much longer 
