We are better informed in the culture of greenhouse plants than was known, say ten or fifteen years ago. Then it was thought special plants should have special houses to insure success in their culture. Especially was this the case in regard to Orchids, but now in almost all collections of greenhouse plants are to be found more or less of the Orchid family.

A few days ago I visited the greenhouses in my neighboring town of Sharon, Pa., presided over by your correspondent, John Murchie, and there are to be seen some of the finest flowered orchids, comprising such kinds as Phalaenopsisgrandiflora, Schilleriana, and amabilis, Coelogyne cristata, and flaccida, Dendrobium nobile, Farmerii, crassinode, albo sanguinea, and Paradianum, Phajus grandifolius, Cyprepids, Laelias, Cattleyas, Lycastes and Oncidiums, and lots of others too numerous to mention; all in the best of health, and growing in a general collection of such plants as Begonias of all kinds, Azaleas, Adiantums and other ferns, Roses, and in fact all kinds of plants found in a general collection of greenhouse plants. Mr. Murchie is an enthusiast in the business, and does not like to be outwitted in the culture of anything. He especially loves Orchid culture and having nothing but the houses where a general collection of plants are grown to keep his favorites, has studied the general laws governing vegetable life and the requirements necessary for maintaining it in a healthy condition.

A temperature during winter of from 500 to 6o° as a minimum, having sufficient moisture at all times, is suitable for the flowering of most kinds of greenhouse plants and warm enough for a good many of what are termed East Indian Orchids, requiring a high, moist temperature during the time they are making their growth, which is generally done during summer, when a high temperature can be kept up without the aid of much artificial heat. At the same time plenty of ventilation being given, thereby ripening their growths into perfection, and making them in better condition for flowering abundantly and enduring a somewhat adverse treatment during a few winter months.

Our warm summers give us a better opportunity for thoroughly ripening Orchids of all kinds, natives of warm regions, than they have in countries where the mean temperature is much lower than with us. On the other hand, what is considered a greenhouse temperature during winter with us, would in England be suitable for an intermediate house. This to a large extent is why we grow with success so many plants in our greenhouses, which are considered unsuitable for the greenhouses in the old countries.

Orchids of all kinds can now be bought at much more reasonable prices than they could formerly. Importers here now get them direct from their native countries instead of getting them second-handed from Europe; which is not only the means of giving us cheaper plants, but also of giving us a chance of getting superior kinds than formerly, as seldom did any new and extra kind find its way across the Atlantic so long as a poorer variety of the same thing could be had to send.

There are a good many different varieties even of the same species to be met with in their native habitat, and by importing directly we get some of the finer kinds, as well as the poorer varieties. Youngstown, O.