A plant being grown in a heated home needs 
more humidity, since heating tends to dry out 
the atmosphere in a room. A daily spraying in 
the morning is beneficial, and another at noon 
may also be given. Twice a week every plant 
may be given a good pot watering by placing 
it under the faucet. 
For those who live in very hot and dry 
areas of the country, or in excessively heated 
apartments, plants may be placed in dishes of 
wet gravel. This gives the plant constant 
humidity by the evaporation of the water thru 
the gravel. The method is to take a bowl, either 
of crockery, plastic, or metal, add about.2 or 3 
inches of bird gravel, chicken grit or pebbles. 
Then add about 1 inch of water. The potted 
Orchid plant may be placed right on the 
dampened gravel or over a wire grate. The 
plant is not in water, but the evaporation 
through the gravel will greatly assist the plant 
to get the right humidity under extraordinary 
conditions of heat and dryness. 
LET THERE BE LIGHT... 
The next most important thing in growing 
Orchids is Light. This may be in the form of 
filtered sunlight, as thru venetian blinds, wooden 
slats or the flickering of sunlight thru a small- 
leafed tree; or it may be diffused light such as 
thru a lace curtain, obscured or painted glass. 
A Cattleya Orchid plant should never be exposed 
to the direct rays of the sun either out in the 
open or thru clear glass. Remember, Cattleya 
Orchids are by heredity all jungle type plants, 
and rarely are they found growing in the full 
sun, except by an accident of nature. 
Orchids must have about 50% Siete 
flower. They need no direct sunlight, just light. 
The correct amount of light they need is easily 
determined. An Orchid plant receiving the 
correct amount of light will have light green 
leaves. A plant not getting enough light will 
have dark green leaves. And a plant getting 
too much light will have yellowing leaves. Sun- 
12 
