THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May 29, 1886. 
62 0 
Warm or Cold Water for Orchids.— In 
reply to “ J. S. M. ” p. 601, allow me to recommend him 
not to run a hot water pipe through his Orchid house 
tank, as, in my experience, rain water which lias been 
stored in an unheated tank in the Orchid house is warm 
enough for any of the plants, while water heated to any 
appreciable extent by artificial means, is, if used for any 
length of time, positively injurious. I could give many 
instances in which I traced injury to Orchids to the fact 
that they were watered with warm water, but suffice it 
to say that many years ago I saw enough to show me 
that heated water was unnecessary for watering Orchids 
and other plants, if not injurious. 
Writing in The Garden, July 8th, 18TO, on the sub¬ 
ject, I said “Some are under the impression that it is 
necessary to have hot water pipes running through the 
tanks in the Orchid houses, in order to warm the water 
before giving it to the plants ; but in the cool Odonto- 
glossum house this is altogether unnecessary. If the 
water has been in the house for any length of time, it 
will be found to be quite warm enough without being 
heated by means of pipes, and the tanks may be sunk 
under the floor. In the East Indian house, however, 
where a higher temperature is maintained, the difference 
between the temperature of the house and that of the 
water in the tank is greater than is desirable, and in 
this case it is better to have the tank for rain-water 
under the middle stage, its base being level with, or 
just below the floor of the house, the top or covering 
being open work on which the plants are set. A two- 
inch branch pipe, which does not interfere with the 
working of the ordinary piping, should be run round 
the tank as near the bottom as possible to increase the 
temperature of the water. This branch-pipe should be 
fitted with a valve at the outside of the tank on the flow 
pipe, to afford means of regulating the temperature of 
the water to from 75° to 85° Fahr.” 
These instructions, if adhered to, not to allow the 
temperature of the water to exceed that prescribed, may 
be followed to-day ; but experiments made on tender 
plants in the winter of 1876 proved to me that unheated 
water was the best, for at that time, assisted by M. 
Chas. Maron, who is now chief gardener at the Chateau 
de St. Germain, I made some severe experiments on 
duplicate sets of Cyanophyllum, Bertolonia, Orchids, 
&c., for the one set getting the water from the often- 
frozen tank outside, and for the other taking it from 
a heated tank in the house. The plants watered with 
cold water steadily improved, and those with warm as 
steadily declined, and in spring the former were good 
healthy plants and the latter very sickly, notwith¬ 
standing that the water used on the best collection was 
often so cold that even an enthusiastic experimentor 
would not like to recommend it in general practice, 
unless in preference to that of a high temperature. 
Water heated by artificial means seems ts rmdergo a 
chemical change which robs it of its good qualities for 
use on plants in proportion to the highness of the tem¬ 
perature. 
The practice of syringing is now brought doum to a 
very low point in Orchid-growing, and in many of our 
best collections is entirely discontinued, unless on special 
work; but still a few advocate warm water for syringing. 
For my part, I am convinced that rain water stored 
in the unheated tanks in the houses, or, failing that, 
other water conveyed to them and stored, is the best 
for all purposes in the Orchid-houses. Beyond this 
heating the water by artificial means is an unnecessary 
expense, and one frequently only prevented from doing 
mischief by the fact that the piping in many cases 
does not act. Some of our strongest advocates for 
watering warm-house plants with warm water would, 
if they used the thermometer, find that they had been 
deceiving themselves, and making a great fuss, and 
taking a great deal of trouble to raise the temperature 
of the water to such a slight degree that it could do no 
good ; although, fortunately, it prevented them from 
doing the harm they would otherwise have done if the 
heating appliance had acted as they desired. —James 
O'Brien. 
I am not an Orchid grower, and have but few Orchids 
such as Stanhopeas, Oncidiums, Lselias, and Cattleyas, 
and these I grow in the common stove with Gardenias, 
Crotons, and other plants of that kind. In the house 
is a rain water tank with hot-water pipes running 
through it, but I always kept the valve, which was 
inside the tank, turned off, as I believed cold water 
was the best. My plants were always remarkably 
vigorous and free-flowering, and all went well until 
about four years ago, I got a fresh man in the houses 
and in a few weeks all began to go wrong, the buds 
fell from the Gardenias, the leaves from the Crotons, &e. 
and ageneral, and to me, unaccountable misery prevailed. 
Such a state of things went on for some months, when, 
at last, one day seeing a plant dry I dipped a can of 
water from the tank and was surprised to find it quite 
warm. On questioning the gardener, he admitted that 
soon after coming he turned the valve in the tank full 
on, and so it had remained ever since. It at once 
struck me that here was the cause of all our misfortunes, 
and I had the valve shut off and the tank made cold 
again. Time proved that my conjecture was right, 
for although some of the plants were injured beyond 
remedy, most of them steadily improved, and in six 
months our house had its usual satisfactory appearance. 
I am hound to say that the Orchids stood it best, but 
most of them were injured and prevented from flowering. 
I can only say no more watering with warm water for 
me.— C. F. 
Orchids at “The Colinderies.” —Mr. F. 
Sander, who does nothing by halves, took most people 
by surprise when he stated his intention of keeping a 
show-house gay with Orchids during the run of the 
Colonial and Indian Exhibition, and it may be added 
now—right well he is doing it. The substantial new 
house he has erected near to the entrance to the Indian 
Court, has been fitted up with rockwork and rustic 
wood-work by Pulliam, of Broxbourne, who, in a limited 
space, has contrived to provide a large number of 
pockets in a great variety of positions, which allows of 
plenty of scope for arrangement in an artistic and effec¬ 
tive manner. Since the exhibition has been opened, 
there has been a constant change of plants, and frequent 
alterations in the method of grouping. A natural and 
effective amount of relief to the glowing colours of the 
flowers, is obtained by mossing the plants in the pockets, 
and by making a free use of Ferns, Bromeliads, Palms, 
&c., at all prominent points, and these, combined with 
the subdued light and the rippling of water in the 
fountains, give the house at all times a charmingly 
fresh appearance. At the present time, the leading 
subjects on view are Cattleyas Mendelii and Mossife, 
which are in great variety. Among the former, at 
the time of our visit, was that magnificent variety 
named after The Duke of Marlborough, and which was 
Certificated on Tuesday. The more it is seen the more 
its singular beauty is appreciated. Odontoglossums 
are, of course, present in considerable numbers, in¬ 
cluding several fine hybrids, first-rate forms of crispum 
and Peseatorei, the arching spikes of the former having 
a very graceful appearance. In hanging baskets over¬ 
head are many examples of O citrosmum and 0. Rossi 
majus ; and conspicuous on various parts of the rock- 
work, are fine pieces of Lrelia purpurata, while the 
general effect is heightened by the introduction of 
various iErides, Masdevallias, Cypripediums, &c. No 
horticultural visitor to the exhibition should fail to 
visit Mr. Sander's house. 
Cattleya Mossise at Bridge Hall, Bury. 
—This old species is grown thoroughly well at the 
residence of 0. 0. Wrigley, Esq., and at the present 
time the plants are blooming most profusely. Yester¬ 
day I had an opportunity of gazing upon the most 
magnificent bank of blooms it ever was my privilege 
to behold ; on some 300 plants, large and small, there 
are nearly 1,500 blooms open, to be absolutely correct, 
1,426 were counted, but, since a few more sheaths were 
to come out, and these had only been credited as single 
buds, there is every probability the higher figure will 
be reached. On the best plant fifty-eight flowers were 
open ; C. Wagnerii had appeared amongst them and 
was just coming into flower with fifteen blooms, a rare 
gem amongst so many beauties. Many of the Mossires 
are 8 ins. across, broad in every part, massive and bold, 
standing out without a stick to support them. The 
varieties are very numerous and most beautiful, from 
the darkest shades with grand combinations of orange 
and rosy purple in the labellum, to others almost pure 
white, with slight yellow-purple streaks on the lip. 
The large house is entirely devoted to this one form, 
and the display is, perhaps, the grandest ever seen in 
the northern part of England. — IV. Swan, Howick 
House, May 26th. 
Odontoglossum crispum. — In answer to 
“ B. D. K.’s” query on p. 349 of your issue for 
January 30th, 1886, as to the roseum variety losing its 
colour, I now beg to state that I have again bloomed 
one of my roseum forms which has retained its deep 
rosy colour intact, and it has fourteen blooms to the 
spike ; the last time it had eight on March 3rd, 1884. 
This will give hope to others besides myself. —Be B. 
Crawshay, Rosefield, SevenoaJcs. 
-- 
The Gar deners’ C alendar. 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
In the press of other matters, care must be taken 
that the Tyube as, Gesnerias, and the succession batch 
of Achimenes are not overlooked, or they will, if stored 
under the stage, as is usual, quickly draw and spoil. 
If time cannot be found just now, rather than run any 
risk, have all the pots removed to a pit where they 
can be attended to, and what little growth they make 
in this position before being re-potted will be satis¬ 
factory^ ; but lose no more time than is absolutely 
necessary for the most pressing work before attending 
to these. During the dull months of autumn and 
winter, the two former amply repay all the attention 
that can be given to them. Use a free, rather rough 
compost for them all, giving the Tydseas a little extra 
loam ; be extremely careful not to over-water until they 
are in active growth, or the soil may become sour and 
sodden, and in that case the only remedy is to shake 
out and re-pot ; through carelessness last season ours 
had to be so served, and quickly righted themselves. 
The seedling Gloxinias must be looked to. The for- 
wardest are now ready for 5-in. pots ; the smaller will 
be pricked-out into small 60’s, and with a shift later 
on, will bloom after the stronger ones, and give us 
flower until the spring-flowered batch succeeds them. 
By this means Gloxinias may readily be had in bloom 
all the year round, and with their various colours 
staged amongst the Ferns and Palms are always much 
admired. A great many varieties of Ferns will be 
found much more useful for all purposes if they are 
removed from the stove and placed where they can 
receive more light and air, so that the growth they 
make will be harder and stand better, either in a cut 
state or when the plants are used for decoration. If 
(and it is very seldom otherwise) they are free from 
mealy bug and scale, they may be placed in the 
Vineries. Staged thinly, they become well developed, 
and are quite at home under the partial shade of the 
Vines. In the Peach-houses they are not, as a rule, so 
comfortable, the heavy syringing not suiting the 
Adiantums ; but the Blechnums, Pteris, and those of 
a harder nature may be employed, and help to make 
the structures so much more interesting than if the 
stages are left bare. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
AVe have gone over the Peach houses, pruning back 
the laterals and tying all in, making them secure until 
after the bedding out is completed ; a light dusting of 
guano is given of an evening after closing, which 
greatly helps the foliage and keeps all in a healthy 
condition, and the same may be said of the vineries 
But in addition we add about twice a week, a barrow- 
load of half-rotted manure fresh from the yard, from 
which a good sniff of ammonia may be had as you walk 
through. This will be found of the greatest benefit 
in warding off an attack of red spider or thrip, should, 
however, the \ines become affected, fumigating three 
times on alternate nights, will eradicate the thrip ; 
but for the spider the following course should be 
pursued. 
Choose a dull or rather damp evening as soon as 
possible after its appearance is noticed, let the pipes be 
made as hot as possible ready for action, at dusk ; 
procure sufficient gmeMime, which should be slaked 
just before use, let one with a rose-can thoroughly wet 
the pipes, another follow him with the bucket of white¬ 
wash and brush covering the pipes, and a third closely 
follow with a bag of flour of sulphur and dust thickly 
on the whitewash, allowing the fire to be pushed 
sharply for lialf-an-liour afterwards ; as a rule, three 
applications will remove all trace of the intruders, and 
this just at colouring time is of no mean importance, 
as those who are once troubled can testify. Straw¬ 
berries will be far better if now removed to pits by 
themselves, as from this, onward, it is a difficult matter 
to keep them clean, and if allowed to remain in the 
Vineries are certain to cause a lot of anxiety ; keep 
them well supplied with liquid manure and thoroughly 
ventilated, and then good flavoured fruit will follow. 
