56 
ORCHIDS. 
ORCHIDS. ■ 
Extract from Tiie Gardener^ March 1870, 
WINTER-BLOOMING ORCHIDS. 
In the early part of January last we had an opportunity of inspecting a new Orchid house that 
Mr. William Bull, of the King’s Iload, Chelsea, S.W., has just erected for the growth of Orchids. 
** This house has been constructed so as to embody many of the special features that have from time 
to time been suggested and described as to the manner in which an Orcliid house should be erected. 
In its present form it seems to bo a model Orchid house for amateur growers, and seems likely to 
prove an admirable house of its kind for nurserymen also. It is a span»roofed structure, and along 
the apex of the roof tbpre is a good substantial wooden coping, under which a roller is fixed, which, 
when suitable materials for shading are fastened to it, will be used either for keeping out the bright 
X'ays of the sun in summer, or for keeping out frost in severe weather in winter. The house is 
divided into four compartments. The first is a lobby, which must be entered before reaching the 
other divisions ; so that, let the condition of the external atmosphere be what it may, no cold 
draughts are admitted into the Orchid house proper. The first division, after passing through the 
lobby, is intended for cool Orchids aud dowering specimens. This is no doubt a great point iu con- 
nection with Orchid culture, as not only do the flowers last much longer in such a structure, but 
their beauty is seen to greater advantage and much more pleasure by ladies than when the plants are 
regularly kept in the hot and damp atmosphere of the growing liouse. The second division is called 
the East Indian House, aud the third, the South American or Cattleya House. Down the centre of 
the two latter compartments is an open tank, containing three hot-water pipes for giving ofi’ mois- 
ture. The tanks are kept filled by a pipe and taps from the reservoir outside. These pipes are also 
perfectly under control, as, by using valves placed iu the cool house, the temperature can be raised 
or lowered as required. At the end of the Cattleya House a compact and useful potting shed, heated 
by hot water, is attached. This being entered from the house, greatly facilitates the operation of 
potting, &c. And here, again, is a precaution against draught. Under the floor of this shed is a 
spacious tank, which receives all the rain-water from the roof. Pipes are laid from the hot-water 
tank in the house to this cistern, so that warm or chilled water can bo easily had when required, 
either for watering the plants or for any other purpose. The hot-water pipes^r heating the houses 
are arranged along the outer walls, and provision is made for regulating the temperatnro in each 
house, by having separate stop-valves fitted to each set of piping. Ventilation has also been provided 
with the same care to prevent the introduction of cold currents of air. This is ofibetod by having 
email apertures made iu the outer walls, just below the heating medium, so that cold air, before 
passing into the interior, must first come in contact with the hot pipes, and so become somewhat 
warmed. The ventilation is effected simply by a sufficient number of small sliding glass frames for 
the requirements of each house. Another important feature is the staging, which is open, both 
in the breadth that runs down the centre over the tanks, and around the sides; the latter also, 
instead of being fixed close up to the wall, have a space of about six inches between them, for the 
heat to pass into that portion of the house which in most other erections is the coldest part — i.e.y 
that portion of the stage nearest the glass. The stages being made open, the genial humidity which 
rises from the tanks is allowed to pass freely amongst the plants throughout the house, and the 
paths can be kept comparatively dry, which is a pleasure scarcely dreamt of where no tanks of this 
kind are provided.” 
For this capital description of the details of Mr. Bull’s Orchid house we are indebted to the Gar- 
deners Chronicle ,* but since this report was taken, Mr. Bull has added one other improvement of 
considerable merit. Finding that the moist atmosphere became condensed on the glass and rafters 
forming the roof, and then fell off in heavy drops, to the manifest injury of some of the plants, 
especially of those in flower, zinc gutters have been attached to each rafter throughout the house. 
The moisture on the glass invariably runs to one side or the other, aud falling from the rafter into 
the gutter, is by moans of pipes carried down behind the side-stages into the tanks beneath the 
houses. Mr. Bull deserves much credit for the admirable manner in which all the details of this 
excellently-constructed house have been arranged. 
At the time of our visit the first division of the house was very gay with blooming Orchids. It 
was a bitter cold day when we went to Chelsea, a biting north-east wind prevailing ; and yet, owing 
to the precaution of this lobby, but little of this found its way into the house as we entered it. Some 
lovely forms of Lycaste Skinnvri first claimed attention. These admit of great variation, aud some are 
very beautiful indeed ; on^ named marginata had a very rich lip, margined with white. There could 
also be observed a tendency to flower in pairs j in several instances twin blooms were produced on 
