6o 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



" fog," working sad havoc among the lovely flowers, and being very distasteful to the 

 plants. 



Shading. 



This is a very important detail in orchid culture, and the work requires a good deal 

 of attention. Permanent shading of any kind is unsuitable, but there are many kinds 

 of movable blinds that may be used. The first place in order of merit belongs 

 undoubtedly to the lath-roller blind system, the illustration of which is furnished 

 by Messrs. Eichardson & Co., Darlington, in Fig. 28. They are made in widths to suit 

 the houses for which they are required, and it is a decided advantage to have them in 

 narrow widths, one to each light or sash, this allowing of certain parts of a house 



being shaded, while other parts are not. This plan 

 is especially useful where — as is the case in small 

 collections generally — several distinct kinds are 

 grown in one house. 



When plants are freshly potted, they need 

 more shade than usual, and unless some such 

 arrangement is provided, the whole of the house 

 would have to be shaded early. 



The greatest advantage of the blinds advised, 

 however, lies in the fact that though the direct 

 rays of the sun are effectually broken by them, 

 a chink of light reaches the plants between the 

 laths. This does not stay upon one plant very long, as the light is constantly chang- 

 ing, so that scorching of the foliage is practically impossible. "When drawn down at 

 night the blinds prevent the radiation of heat in severe weather. 



In the absence of lath blinds, a very good material is provided in the white garden 

 netting now so much used for shading and the protection of fruit blossom. It is 

 made in several qualities, the wider mesh being preferable for warm-house orchids 

 generally, while for odontoglossums and other cool-house species, the closer mesh is 

 better, a denser shade being thrown thereby. Narrow widths of this class of blind 

 are not advisable, as the " sagging " of the netting leaves a wide opening between the 

 margins, admitting more sunlight than is desirable. Thin tiffany blinds are used in the 

 same way as shown in Fig. 29 and sectional view Fig. 30. 



Fig. 28. Lath-Roller Blind. 



