454 



ORCHTD-BASKE TS. 



by September or October, in time to give room for the 

 winter-lettuce. In all the houses steam heat is used. Hot 

 water is not applicable to such large plants, and it is not 

 sufficiently manageable for lettuce. 



Mr. Rawson was probably the first to use the electric 



THh South Elevation, and thk Ventilat( 



light for the commercial growing of plants. Hisattention 

 was called to the subject by observing the beneficial ef- 

 fects of street-lamps which hung near his houses. These 

 observations by Mr. Rawson were largely instrumental 



in provoking the serious study of the subject at Cornell 

 University. He now runs three 2,000 candle-power arc- 

 lights all night throughout the winter for the sole pur- 

 pose of hastening the growth of lettuce. These lamps 

 are shown in one of the illustrations. Mr. Rawson de- 

 clares that these lights hasten 

 the maturity of lettuce by 10 per 

 cent., and says that the gain pro- 

 duced upon one crop pays for 

 running the lamps for the entire 

 winter. He calculates that there 

 is an average gain of five days 

 for each crop, or a total saving 

 of fifteen days during the winter. 

 He also says that the plants head 

 up better under the light, and 

 that the quality is superior. The 

 effect of the light is marked at 

 a distance of 100 feet from the 

 lamp. One need only to visit 

 these houses in order to convince himself that here is 

 the acme of winter lettuce-cultivation in which the elec- 

 tric light plays no small part. It will probably become 

 a prime factor in vegetable-forcing. L. H. B. 



ORCHID-BASKETS. 



HOW TO USE THEM. 



In The American Garden for i8go (page 99) a num- 

 ber of very fine and convenient orchid-baskets were de- 

 scribed and figured. I inquired of different 'firms for 

 these baskets, but could ob- 

 tain only the common square 

 form. The price was also too 

 high to recommend them for 

 general use. At last I suc- 

 ceeded in inducing John Mon- 

 inger, Hawthorne avenue, 

 Chicago, to manufacture these 

 baskets in all the forms figured 

 in The American Garden 

 and here republished, in large 

 quantities and for a reason- 

 able price. Instead of manu- 

 facturing them of pitch-pine, 

 Mr. Moninger uses cypress, 

 which is almost as durable as 

 red or white cedar. I have 

 these baskets now in use, and 

 the plants grow admirably in 

 them. In ordering them it is 

 only necessary to give t h e 

 number and size, according to 

 the above-mentioned article in 

 The American Garden. 



The square basket (fig. i) is the best and cheapest for 

 general use. It is very strong, durable, and of neat ap- 

 pearance. Instead of using pots for epiphytal orchids, 



F.G. 3. 



baskets ought to be used invariably, as the plants look 

 much more natural and beautiful in them than in the 

 unsuitable pots, which are, on the outside, usually cov- 

 ered with ugly green algas. 

 These square baskets are ad- 

 mirably adapted for cattleyas, 

 laelias, dendrobiums, oncidi- 

 ums and odontoglossums, and 

 most of the epiphytal orchids. 

 A similar basket, but of twice 

 the height, should be used for 

 the East Indian orchids, such 

 as aerides, angrascums, van- 

 das, phalaenopsis and saccol- 

 abiums. 



Fig. 2 is of cylindrical form, 

 and particularly adapted to 

 phalaenopsis. Fig. 3 is of 

 double octagonal form, and, 

 although somewhat expensive, 

 is very suitable for epiphytal 

 orchids, but is especially used 

 for strong plants known as 

 specimens. Fig. 4 is a round 

 basket with copper wire bot- 

 tom, through which the sub- 

 terranean flower-spikes of the 

 stanhopeas, and acinetas can easily find their way. 



The hamper and log forms (figs. 5 and 6) are excellent 

 substitutes for the heavy and unsightly pieces of wood 



Fig. 6. 



