46 
ON THE CULTURE OF NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
is more worthy of the attention of the lovers of floriculture, than the one now 
before us ; and as we cannot but perceive the growing- attachment for, and 
increasing- cultivation of, this beautiful tribe, we are induced to lay before our 
readers a brief outline of the system pursued by Messrs. RoUison, and we are sure 
that his collection only needs to be seen to prove the complete success with which 
it is attended. 
Some persons whose characters stand high in the list of the cultivators of 
Orchidess, contend that excessive heat, accompanied with a great degree of mois- 
ture, is essential to the well-being of these plants ; while others, of equal eminence, 
affirm that a low temperature, with very little (if any) atmospheric moisture, is best 
adapted for growing- them to perfection. It is not our object here to endeavour to 
show the merits or demerits of either of these systems, but merely to state that 
Messrs. Rollison grow their orchideous plants in a mean temperature, varying- 
between 65° and 73° Fahrenheit, with a moderate degree of moisture ; and, by thus 
avoiding each of the before-named extremes, cultivate them to a degree of per- 
fection to which very few attain. 
Their house is constructed with a span roof, and runs in a line from north-east to 
south-west ; down the centre of the house there is a brick pit, which is filled at the 
bottom with brick-rubbish, and towards the surface with old bark, (that is, such as has 
been previously used, and from which all the heat has been extracted,) or coal ashes, 
and on this the largest plants are elevated to within three or four feet of the glass ; 
all round this pit there is a path, which is paved with stone ; and which (that is, 
having a path all round the inside of the house) is a very desirable object in a 
house of this description, as the plants are so arranged as to be seen to advan- 
tage from all parts of the house ; between this path and the outside wall there is 
a stage, on which are placed all the young and small plants, among which are here 
and there introduced a few large ones to give a more pleasing effect. 
Having thus briefly detailed a few particulars relative to the construction of 
Messrs. Rollison's Orchideas house, we will now proceed to notice the manner in 
which it is heated, which is according to the hot-water system ; this has been 
adopted in preference to heating either by steam or smoke-flues, because the 
house may be heated with hot water a considerable deal sooner than by either of 
the above-named methods, and also, because it retains the heat much longer ; 
added to this the steam which evaporates from the boiler is sufficient to keep the 
house continually in a humid state, except in hot weather, when no fire is required, 
then other measures are resorted to, such as throwing down water in the paths, and 
occasionally sprinkling the plants over with water from a syringe ; also, during the 
summer season a shading of thin canvass is thrown over the roof of the house in 
the heat of the day to keep off" the powerful rays of the sun, as it is a well known 
fact that direct solar light is prejudicial to the free and proper growth of these 
plants. It now remains to show Messrs. Rollison's system of potting, and the 
materials used by them in that process ; and, as this is an important feature in the 
cultivation of Orchidese;, we shall here be a little more explicit. The first operation 
to be performed, is to take a pot somewhat smaller than the one in which the plant 
is to be placed, and turn it upside down in the bottom of the said pot ; this not 
