Juiu-, 1914.) 



THF ORCHID WORLD. 



207 



AN AMATEUR'S " MIXED HOUSE. " 



IT is considered by growers, and rightly, 

 that the best conditions for a family of 

 plants can only be properly attained by 

 allocating one house for one class of plant. 

 This cannot be disputed, but it is a state- 

 ment which frightens the beginner, whose 

 interest, perhaps, lies not in one class of plant 

 only, but rather in variety and succession. If 

 only one house can be possessed I am sure 

 that by attention and intelligent interest 

 persistently given a great choice lies before 

 the amateur, and he need have no hesitation 

 in making his one house attractive with 

 Orchid bloom during the greater part of the 

 year. The great difficulty, generally speaking, 

 which faces him is the blank season when 

 there are no flowers. It is then that interest 

 wanes, and possibly ceases before the next 

 flower season. And, moreover, to intensify 

 this blank season the work is usually 

 increased by reason of the necessary 

 repotting, dividing, and general cleaning up 

 of the resting occupants of the single house. 



It is not every gardening amateur with 

 little time — and that at odd periods — who can 

 hold out against this, especially if his interest 

 is mainly for the ornamental side of the 

 question. But I am writing this in the hope 

 that the blank season may be considerably 

 lessened, and also to arouse the personal 

 element in the beginner for the extension of 

 his interest and efforts, although the one cool 

 house is his only possession. The writer 

 asserts, in face of the statement in the early 

 part of this note, that if the beginner will 

 persistently strive to make his plants 

 comfortable and give what time he possibly 

 can to their needs a mixed cool house is quite 

 possible and can be made a success, and 

 offers great attraction for the best part of the 

 year. 



The housing of a variety of cool-growing 

 Orchids under one roof is both feasible and 

 likely to be thoroughly successful if dail>' 

 attention is given to their requirements, and 

 if due intelligence is bestowed initiall)- uptni 

 the selection of the Orchids. 



It would be a good plan if the proposing 



grower would give some of his leisure time 

 in looking up the subject before he 

 commences the erection of the house m order 

 to get a good general idea of the conditions 

 necessary for the healthy life of his plants. 

 If this be done the road would be cleared of 

 many elementary difficulties, and subsequent 

 experience would be sure to enlarge the ideas. 

 There is much to be said with regard to the 

 construction of the house, its plan and situa- 

 tion, etc., but all this ought to be realised 

 before erection begins. Particulars can be 

 found in published books upon the subject, 

 and when these are digested an observant 

 visit to a house m working order would clinch 

 the matter. 



When the house is constructed and stocked 

 with a wise selection of Orchids, daily 

 ventilation should be the most important 

 point, especially with regard to the mixed 

 house. Fresh air, warmed if necessary, ought 

 always to have access to the house, and 

 especially so when the outside atmosphere is 

 a nice genial rainy one. I believe that cool- 

 house Orchids especially revel m such. 



The difficulty in selecting plants lies rather 

 m the great number from which to select, 

 rather than the lack of variety. Cypri- 

 pediums, first and foremost, are the most 

 useful, and these can be had in flower almost 

 the whole year through. Their hybrids come 

 at between times, so are extremely useful for 

 shortening the blank season. Lycastes, too, 

 are also most useful, and very lasting if 

 removed to a dry atmosphere while in bloom. 

 These certainly make capital plants for 

 indoor decoration, for they remain long in 

 bloom when in an ordinary room. 



A few well-chosen Cattleyas, not forgetting 

 the profuse flowering C. Harrisoniana, do 

 well in the mixed house if placed at the 

 warmer end. Lselias also are wonderfully 

 attractive when suspended from the roof, 

 especially L. Gouldiana, which with the 

 writer is quite a success. Maxillaria 

 grandiflora is also good, and the large leaves 

 are quite ornamental. Cymbidiums of several 

 sorts can be made happy with the above 

 named plants. 



Cattleya citrina is also worth having, as in 



