in their homes, we have listed on page 55 of 
this booklet a few additional notes along with 
beginner's collections that will prove useful in 
connection with the following general outline. 
Greenhouses. The saying "Any Greenhouse 
is suitable to grow Orchids," is quite correct. 
There are many small greenhouses in which 
the owner has been growing other types of 
plants, and would like to try a little collection 
of Orchids with them. This can be done nicely 
with, perhaps, only a few minor inexpensive 
changes. We will be glad to advise on any 
contemplated alterations or new work. It is 
important, of course, to acquire varieties of Or¬ 
chids, suitable to grow with other plants. In 
cases of this kind we ask you to send us the 
questionnaire, filled in, and we will be pleased 
to suggest varieties best suited. 
The "Special Orchid house," is not at all 
necessary, but is very nice where one is going 
in solely for Orchids. Some of the finest plants 
the writer has seen were grown in "Ordinary 
Greenhouses." We have in our range, an an¬ 
cient wood frame greenhouse over fifty years 
old that is as good a growing house as our 
most modern. In the cases of large, varied, 
private collections the house, or houses, are 
usually divided into two or three sections— 
warm, intermediate and cool, as is the family 
of Orchids in general. 
Ventilation. Orchids require plenty of fresh 
air for good, strong plant growth. As condi¬ 
tions vary so, the amounts used can only be 
left to one's good judgment consistent with 
proper temperatures. From late spring to fall 
more air may be given than through the win¬ 
ter months. Do not allow the atmosphere to 
become too dry by ventilating to excess during 
the hot summer. Care must always be taken 
to prevent drafts. Through the fall, winter and 
spring, it is important that the plants are not 
chilled and there are times during the winter 
when a slight crack of air in the middle of the 
day is sufficient. With houses having bottom 
air, the method of ventilating is different, as 
the shaded side con be opened during hot, dry 
weather with the top vents not so wide. This 
will keep the atmosphere from drying out to 
excess. In the winter, a little bottom air is 
good when the top can only be slightly opened, 
as the air entering the bottom circulates and 
loses its chill before reaching the plants. 
Shading. We recommend most highly the 
wood slat shades in their different forms. Roller 
slat shades are best, as they can be raised or 
lowered at will, depending on the amount of 
sunlight through the day. Through the winter, 
here in the East, it is advisable to have as much 
light as possible, and we remove all shades 
until early spring when the sun starts getting 
hotter. There is no definite time to replace 
shading, but we find it necessary to usually 
start in February. In cases where there are 
no wood slat shades, some of the forms of 
greenhouse shadings should be applied, and 
in early spring we find it advisable to apply 
a light coat for the first time and additional 
heavier coats as the sun gets brighter and hot¬ 
ter. Orchids require light but too bright a 
house will have a tendency to yellow the fo¬ 
liage and harden the plants too much. By the 
same token, too heavy and dark a shading 
will soften the plants too much. During the 
latter part of summer the coating will naturally 
begin to wear off, and by fall, when the sun 
has lost its burning qualities, should be quite 
thin, resulting in a lighter house so that the 
plants will ripen off to good advantage for the 
long, dull winter months. When all danger of 
the foliage burning is past, the shading should 
be removed entirely. One can easily see why 
we recommend the wood slat shades which do 
away with so much extra work. In exceeding¬ 
ly bright locations, it is sometimes necessary 
even with the use of wood slat shades to apply 
a thin coating of shade to the glass. 
As a paint shade we recommend "Orchid 
Shade," which you will find listed under ma¬ 
terials. This is a cold water product, easily 
applied with spray or brush and easy to re¬ 
move in the late fall. Another shading used is 
a mixture of white lead and kerosine or gaso¬ 
line, (if the latter, be sure the white gas and 
not Ethyl is used). It is more difficult to remove 
in fall. 
For the beginner or amateur who is not al¬ 
ways at home, we do recommend a permanent 
type of slat shade, even though home made. 
We have made shades using ordinary build¬ 
ing lathe that have proven very successful. 
Watering. Syringing, and Damping. DO NOT 
OVERWATER. There is no definite basis, 
amount, or schedule one can follow in water¬ 
ing, and conditions and houses vary so, that 
again good judgement in watering is better 
than any set rules. Needless to say. Orchids, 
in their growing seasons require considerable 
water but should never be kept continually in 
a wet state. There are a few exceptions to 
this, and these you will find noted in our cul¬ 
tural hints throughout this guide. It is true that 
where the plants grow in their native habitats 
they are subject to long rainy seasons, but one 
must also bear in mind that their root systems 
are exposed to the air and are not crowded 
into pots packed full of compost, and when 
the rain stops the plants are dry in a matter 
of minutes. They have a constant circulation 
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