suffer
neglect.

METHOD OF HEATING

In these progressive times it is not well to lay down hard-and-fast
rules with regard to the best type of appliance. It should, however, be
urged that every Orchid house ought to be heated with hot water, and,
that in all cases 4-inch piping should be used, the radiation of heat
from that size being much more gentle and equal than from smaller pipes.
Bottom heat by means of piping under closed-in beds of cocoa-nut fibre,
or any other material, is bad, although, in a very slight degree, some
arrangement of the kind may be of assistance in the house devoted to
raising seedlings. If it is used, an outlet must be provided for the
inevitable moisture thus raised so that it will not condense and fall on
the plants.

For small houses or blocks of houses, the old saddle boiler in some form
is all that can be desired; and there are several forms of
slow-combustion boilers which may be set almost on the surface of the
ground outside the house, and these are satisfactory. For blocks of
houses the English form of sectional boiler is one of the very best; in
large blocks duplicate sets of this pattern, or any other type that may
be selected, should be set down, as it provides means of heating the
houses if the ordinary boiler happens to fail. It is always better to
provide more power than may appear absolutely necessary, and work it at
low pressure, than to have barely sufficient power and work it hard
during severe weather, as the heat diffused in the latter case is
harmful.

Before deciding on the means of heating to be employed, it would be well
to pay a visit to some of the collections noted for the excellent
condition of their plants, and inspect the appliances and their
arrangement. Most Orchid growers, whether in private establishments or
nurseries, are willing to assist amateurs in these matters. When the
apparatus has been got into working order, tests should be made to
ensure an equal distribution of the heat from the piping. If a draught
of hot air to any part of the house from beneath the staging is
observed, it is a good plan to build up openly-laid screens or brick
walls 4-1/2 inches thick, the layers of brick being placed so that there
is half the length of the brick opening between each brick and the next
to it. Where there is a sufficient command of heat, these openly-laid
brick walls, without mortar, built up below the side staging and running
parallel with the edge of it