138 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ September, 
exactly. In fact, it may be taken as an axiom, 
tbe hotter the climate, the worse it is to manage. 
We have ample proof of this in every collection 
of Orchid plants. But in order to make our 
assertion good, let us condescend to a few 
details. 
What are known as cool Orchids are'invariably 
more or less well managed, and the main reason 
is that these, in a state of nature, come from 
mountainous regions at an altitude varying 
between 4,000 ft. and 6,000 ft; above sea-level. 
The heat, consequently, is more uniform and 
never so great, and the moisture is more or 
less continuous—it is easier, in fact, to imitate 
the climate ; and there are no extremes, at least 
no violent extremes, compelling the culturist to 
forge along out of the common in his cultural 
system. But whenever you step down two or 
three or more thousand feet, then there is cor¬ 
responding additional heat, with all the varia¬ 
tions of drought and moisture which prevail 
in such a climate ; and there is less wonder at 
a European culturist feeling that there are 
difficulties ahead which many have tried to en¬ 
counter but have been baffled, and which many 
more in course of time will try, and not be, very 
likely, much more successful. Take those 
West Indian plants Epidendrum bicomutum , 
Cattleya superba , and the beautiful Epidendrum 
dichromum: how often they have been introduced 
by their hundreds and thousands, and yet in 
time have all disappeared ! The same with the 
charming gem Ionopsis paniculata and On- 
cidium pidchellum. Now to try an arid climate 
for a month with these plants, supposing them 
to be already established, might do in a certain 
way, if it were not for the myriads of thrips 
and red-spider that would fasten on them, and 
suck out their life-blood, and some means of 
keeping these marauders under must be adopted, 
even at the expense of what might otherwise be 
good for the species. This cannot be done effi¬ 
ciently with tobacco-paper, but it may be done 
with tobacco-paper and copious atmospheric 
moisture—the one, of course, as much as pos¬ 
sible without the other. You are, therefore, 
while stimulating growth, possibly enervating the 
plants’ system, which will bring in its train evils, 
and perhaps eventually death ; but far better, I 
say, have a decent, clean-looking plant, sup¬ 
posing it be pining away, than a plant infested 
with vermin, going from bad to worse. This, 
of course, is an extreme case, but it, neverthe¬ 
less, represents what has occurred over and over 
again. Fortunately, the great majority of 
Orchids, even from hot climates, submit them¬ 
selves to artificial cultivation with very good 
grace, and in some cases the cultivated plant 
seems to surpass the same species in a state of 
nature, but not without a sensible appreciation 
of what is really needed, in order to develop 
the plant with what might be called con¬ 
stitutional safety. 
Well, then, as to system, there is a proba¬ 
bility of a culturist being successful with a 
collection of the most beautiful Orchids in two 
different houses or climates, but he will be all 
the more successful if he can divide them into 
three sets. With three distinct climates as to 
heat, ventilation, and moisture, there need not 
be much difficulty in managing a lot of Orchids. 
The first, or the cool house, should be moist, 
airy, and pretty evenly balanced as to tempera¬ 
ture throughout the year. The second, or the 
intermediate house, should also be moist, a 
little closer in the matter of ventilation, in 
winter particularly, with a summer temperature 
higher than the cool-house, and not varying 
quite so much from the cool one in tempera¬ 
ture in winter. The third, or tropical house, 
should be moist, very moist under great heat, 
with copious ventilation when summer heat 
prevails, only it mu3t be shut up early, and 
should never have an atmosphere offensively 
dry, and never be allowed to get too cold at 
any season. 
With such diverse climates, and the proper 
apportioning of the plants in them, and a keen 
eye to keep down filth of all kinds, insects in 
particular, there is no difficulty in the culture of 
the great body of Orchids which the people 
admire. One thing cannot be too prominently 
pressed forward, and that is atmospheric 
moisture. The want of this is the loss of 
thousands of plants. I often think there is a 
bit of heedlessness about some growers in this 
matter. I do not say that neglect for a day or two 
will do harm, but a fortnight’s neglect will bring 
about a state of things which it may take a year 
to eradicate, and the plants’ health will be irre¬ 
parably injured. There is no doubt that you 
may overdo a house with moisture, in winter 
particularly, but it is scarcely possible to do it 
in summer. Beware, however, and do not bathe 
the plants overhead, nor keep them in a contin¬ 
uously wet state over leaves and pseudobulbs. 
When I say the grower can scarcely overdo the 
moisture-supply, I mean, of course, the atmo¬ 
spheric moisture: the moisture the man in charge 
distributes over the tables and paths, &c., for 
the plants to take up, according to their need. 
