title: Successful floriculture,
text: ilSB 405 m • W9 ^l^^^^^^^^^^l ^ /.c:,ik.*°o .^' %.**.— ^ .0 *°-n(.. ^""^^ V :• *•>'% \W'' /% °.^'- **'% •:!_ , , ^_ ,0^.-;^.% /.-^-^ /yj^>-^. / ♦ «7 ^ .•*!.''» 0, -JJ*' 0-" '^<P>/*^'**\^'^' ^°^t. ■'- % <?"> 0» -o^ '».*• \^ .. -^ '•"• ♦^ I* - « • v^^ ^^ • V 0°\» .' ^o c° /' .'^^ SUCCESSFUL -\ ORICDLTUR H BY DAVID R. WOODS, NEW BRIGHTON, PA. /^. ILLUSTRATED, n y ' Thor u ;li Knowledge is the only positive Key to success, without it we walk as one blind, who oft' mistakes his way, with it we can not eir in any of the pursuits of life." ^^1 )M^4 iSSi. Published for the author, to whom all orders should be addressed. /^. , I Entered, according to Act of Cnngress, in the year iSSi, by DAVID R. WOODS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. INTRODUCTION. " Flowers," says a writer, " flowers, of all created things, the most innocently simple, the most superbly complex, playthings for childhood, ornaments of the grave, and com. panions of the cold corpse! Flowers, beloved by the idiot, and studied by the thinking men of science ! Flowers, that unceasingly expand to heaven their grateful, and to man their cheerful looks ; soothers of human sorrow ; fit em- blems of the victor's triumph and the young bride's blush- es! Welcome to the crowded ball, and grateful upon the solitary grave! Flowers are in the volume of nature what the expression ' God is love' is in the volume of revelation ! What a desolate place would be a world without a flower 5 it would be a face without a smile — a feast without a wel- come. Are not flowers the stars of earth, and are not our stars the flowers of heaven? One cannot look closely at the structure without loving it; they are the emblems and man- ifestation of God's love to the creation, and they are means and ministrations of man's love to his fellow creatures, for they first awaken in his mind a sense of the beautiful and good. The very inutility of flowers is their excellence and great beauty, for they lead us to thoughts of generosity and moral beauty, detached from, and superior to all selfish- ness, so that they are sweet lessons in nature's book of in- struction, teaching man that he liveth not by bread alone^ but that he hath another than animal life." The love and admiration of flowers is universal. All CHAPTER I. SOILS FOR POTTING. OME years ago it was believed by many that certain plants required a certain coo post in which to grow, and that they would not grow in anything save this one particular preparation. Some of the florists in this coun- try, but more in the older countries, still main- tain that unless Silver Sand is used, cuttings cannot be rooted with any great degree of suc- cess, and if anything but Peat and Silver Sand is used for potting Camellias, Azaleas and Hke plants, they will not do weU. This might have been beheved up to the present time, if all plant culturists had lived where these two ingre- dients were in abundance, but this was not the case, and from necessity some were compelled to try to grow these and kindred plants in other composts, and the success at- tending these trials exceeded their brightest hopes. We confess that plants do better in a soil suited to their wants than in one not congenial to their nature, but it is ridicul- ous to argue that they will not grow and do comparatively well in another composition, provided of course that the other composition is not directly opposed to what their nature demands. An eminent florist claims to use but one compost, and grows all Ms plants equally well in it, but he donH grow all kinds of plants, and he has every opportunity to satisfy the cravings of the plants in all other respects, 8 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. which would at least to a considerable extent counteract the efieet of an unsuitable poil. To the amateur, who almost universally labors under a host of disadvantages, it is necessary that he, to be successful, must take advantage of every point ; hence we describe the different substances that are generally used for potting soils, and in our Specific Directions we tell you what preparation our experience has taught us to be the most suitable for the different plants u'hen grown in pots. If the compost we recommend is not readily obtainable, approximate it as nearly as you can, and you will have landed pretty safely on one of the step- ping stones to success. Leaf Soil is not half-rotted wood, but is tlwroughbj de- composed leaves. It is easily obtainable in the forests, can be found in the valleys or in hollow places W'here the winds have blown the leaves. Scrape o# the top and you will get the deposits of former years. It i« very rich and Invigorating. Peat is a black or nearly black soil found in swamps and other low places ; is very rich in vegetable fibre and as a rule contains some sand. Where it cannot convenient- ly be obtained, leaf soil will prove a good substitute. Manures No manures are suitable for potting pur- poses until they are at lead Jialf decayed (such as have been used in a hot bed) they are better when they are sufficient- ly decomposed as to sift without much difficulty. Sand should be free from all foreign sujjstances ; if it is not, it can be washed by putting it in a tub or some other vessel, and rinsing it through several w^aters. The ladies wiU understand what we mean by this. Moss from the woods or sphagnum from the swamps is very good to mix in the compost for Ferns, Pitcher Plants, Orchids, etc. It should be torn or chopped mtf small pieces before using, and be mixed in the soil. SOILS FOR POTTING. » Loam. This word is often used to mean quite differ- ent substances ; we intend it to mean in this case rotted sods and rotted manure prepared as follows : In the spring, or at any other convenient time, cut from an old pasture field, on the roadside or anywhere you can get them, sods ; cut them small enough to handle conveniently, and about two inches thick ; lay them in a heap, grassy sides togeth- er ; between each alternate layer of sods put one layer of manure ; (cow dung is best) in a few months chop as best you can with a spade, and mix the compost thoroughly ; the heap should be turned and mixed several times during the season, until it becomes friable, when it is ready for use. The reader may think it will cost considerable time and may be some funds to have a small supply of these soils on hand, but they can be obtained at odd times in spare moments that might not be otherwise used to advantage, and we feel confident that the enthusiastic culturist will •have them. They can be mixed to suit the requirements of any plant. By referring to our Specific Directions you will discover what proportion to use of each of the above substances, we may say loam eight, sand one, peat one ; this means eight parts of loam, and one part each of sand and peat will be the soil in which this plant should be grown. aiuTA^■lC CASTLE. 10 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. CHAPTER II. POTS AND POTTING. |E desire to say a few words in regard to the pots or vessels in which plants are grown, before we proceed to the operation of potn ting. We know that thousands of plants annually sicken and die because the vessels in which they are grown are not suitable. We are aware that in many sections of the country, pots such as florists use are not to be obtained without a great deal of trouble, hence, as soon as plants require potting they are put in tin cans, glazed stone ware, boxes, old paint bucket s and in fact anything that is handy that will hold earth and water. We wish to enter our protest just here by saying that nearly all plants re- quire air at the roots, consequently such treatment is radi- FiG. 2. — florist's pot. caUy wrong and positively injurious. Tlie above statement POTS AND POTTING. 1] is the rule, but certainly there are exceptions to it. Some plants wiD live in water ; ihey will not object to growing in anything that will supply their particular wants; if this want be water, then grow them in something that will contain water ; if the want is air, then they must be grown in a porous vessel, that will admit a copious supply of air. The best pot is the kind most Florists use. (See Fig 1.) They are made from the finest fire clay, made in moulds, and are " turned on a jigger ;" this mode is superior to the old way of " pressing " as by this mode the pot remains porous, while by the old way the clay wa.s made quite solid and only very slightly porous. The pots are then burned to a brick red; if burned any harder than this the clay vitrifies, and all the pores are closed ; these pots> when burnt harder than usual, are used for Aquatic plants, but for most plants they are but little better than a wooden box or tin can. • Anticipate the needs of your plants, and have some of these pots on hand for the plants you have or those you may buy. When it is utterly impossible to get pots of the above description, it then becomes necessary to use a sub- stitute. We would advise that the bottom of the vessel used be perforated with a number of small holes, say \ inch in diameter and not more than an inch apart. We prefer wooden boxes of suitable sizes for small plants, cigar boxes cut in two or three equal parts will answer. Drainage. We advocate drainage, and claim that it is beneficial to plant-life, when plants are in larger than what is called a four-inch pot. The reader, who has perused other works on this subject, may fear that we are now get- ting into hot water and may demand our reasons for mak- ing such a statement. Well, suppose we own a piece of low ground in a town or village ; it is surrounded by an em- bankment from five to ten feet high; when it rains our 12 SUCCESSFUIi. PLORICULTUEE. ground is covered Avith Avater, ■which will not drain off for several weeks. We say to our friend the "no drainage" florist, we will allow you to use that piece of ground for planting out all your flowers. His reply would be, "I don't want it." Why? " Because the water does not drain oflT." We reply that it does; that all the land surrounding mine is higher, and the water drains off'into that, and some goes into the clayey subsoil, and in a few weeks the water will all be gone. " Yes, that is true ; but it don't drain off fast eiiough, and before the water is all gone the soil is sour, and if my plants were in it they would be injuicd if not destroyed ; the roots on many of them would rot in that time." The above would undoubtedly be in substance the replies of the "no drainage" florist, yet it is only going to the extreme to show the absurdity of his doctrine. Had we said to him he could have the ground for planting out his Callas, Caladium Esculentum and like plants, the offer ( had he needed the groujid) would have been accepted. The fact is if there is no drainage, or if the drainage is defective, the water does not pass away fast enough. We have seen in green-houses where the roof was not thoroughly water-proof, after a long, heavy rain, some of the pots in which plants were groAving filled to the rim with Avater, which did not pass away for 48 hours. The pot Avas porous, but the pores were filled up Avith muddy water, so that it was difficult for the Avater to filter through and it remaining so long in the pot would be injurious to ninety -nine jjlants out of one hundred. For plants in small pots drainage is not essential to their welfare, because the pot does not contain but a very small amount of soil, and at the most there is but little Avater in the pot, which Avill drain off in a short time, even though the pot be not porous, if there is a hole in the bottom of it. But for plants in large pots, good and sufficient drain- POTS AND POTTING. 13 a^e sliould be provided, aud especially so for such as are grown in tin cans, boxes, buckets, tubs, glazed earthen- ware, old kettles, etc., because when the soil is thoroughly saturated all the air is expelled, and as the water evaporates the air again enters the soil ; hence if air is necessary for the roots of plants, and if when the soil is saturated with water there is no air in it should we not supply a channel or series of channels in the shape of drainage, by which the fluid may pass off rapidly and permit the health-giving air to enter without unnecessary delay. It is almost as absurd to claim that the surplus water will pass of through the pores of the larger pots in a sufiiciently short space of time to do no injury to the plants, as it would be to claim that the fluids we take into our body will all pass off" through the pores of our skin and we not sufier any in consequence of our involuntary retention of these fluids. We think we have said enough on this subject to convince the reader that it will be better to use drainage. We may touch on it again in the chapter on Temperature and Moisture. Potting. In the previous chapter we have enumerated the ingredients that will form soils for potting. If the plants are small the soil should be pulverized, either chop- ped or crushed so there will be no lumps to break or bruise the tender young roots. For most rooted cuttings a pot two inches high and the same in diameter will be sufficient- ly large. Geraniums, Feverfew, and a few other plants, if very well rooted, will require a two and one-half or three inch pot, but for the great majority a two inch pot will suit. Our mode of potting is as follows : The pots and soil ready, the cuttings (when rooted) are taken from the cut- ting bed and carried to a bench or table in the potting room ; we then take the pot, fill it about one-fourth to one- third full of soil, then place the stem of the plant in the center of the pot, allowing the roots to touch the soil in the pot; we fill in all around until the pot might be said to be 14 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. filled to overflowing; then witli the thumbs compress the soil, leaving a space of about one-third of an inch from the top of the pot to the surface, to hold water. When large I ots are used for repotting, leave more space, say for a four inch pot leave one-half inch space. Some operators begin' to pot cuttings by filling the pot with soil, then punch a hcle in the loose soil with the finger, and push the roots into tl.is hole, it being perhaps not more than three-fourths of an inch in diameter ; the soil is then pressed down and the hole is thus filled ; a gentle tap on the side of the pot with the knuckles, and the operation is complete. We claim that our mode is superior for these reasons : The natural teadency of the root Is downward and spreading. The cuttirg sends out its roots all around in search of nourishing food ; when it is taken from its bed common sense will tell us its roots should be allowed to remain as nearly as possible in every respect in the same position, viz : Pointing down- ward and spreading ; this can be accomplished by the mode we practice, but not by the other, because in the first place, the hole made by the finger is too small in most instances to admit the roots without bendmg the points of them, con- sequently they must be piished into the hole ; hence they will point up .vard, which is unnatural; and secondly, by the mode of procedure by which the hole is closed up ; the roots, instead of being allowed their natural spreading habit, are crushed together; and although in the hands of the skillful operator the plants will grow and in course of time flourish, it will take some time to overcome this un- natural and consequently wrong mode of treatment. The practical florist may say our mode consumes more time. Our reply is try it and see for yourself; if it does (which we deny) the greater success attending our mode would more than compensate for it. The object in pressing the soil rather solidly in the pot (now we don't mean to make it hard) is that the young roots may "catch hold" of the POTS AND POTTING. 15 soil and obtain nourishment from it at once, instead of being compelled to go in search of the soil before the plant can receive any food whatever. We now suppose the plant to be in a two inch pot ; it must have a thorough watering ; that is, the space from the surface of the soil to the rim of the pot should be filled with water ; this may be done either at the potting table or after it has been placed where it is to grow, for the time at least. "We now come to tlic process of "shifting," that is, changing the plants into pots of a larger or smaller size. When a plant has been growing in a pot that is large for it, florists say it is " over-potted ;" if the pot is too small, it is ''pot-bound," When you wish to discover if the plant needs a larger pot, turn the plant top side down, just as a lady would a cake or piece of pastry to get it out of a mould, and placing the stem of the plant between the first and second fingers of the open hand, with the other hand raise the pot and tap the rim of it on the wlge of a solid substance; as a rule one or two taps will loosen the roots from the sides of the pot, when the ball of earth will fall into the opera- tor's open hand. If the ball of earth refuses to come out with two or three taps, give the plant a thorough water- ing and allow it to stand until the water drains off, when it can be removed quite easily, and by the way, it is bet- -ter that the ball of earth be quite moist, for if it is dry the roots will cling to the pot and may be broken, and the soil being dry, it will crumble and fall to pieces, thereby dis- turbing the roots and oftentimes breaking them. It is not necessary to give a larger pot until the roots become j)retty well matted around the ball of earth, yet it should not be allowed to remain in the pot until the tender white succulent roots become brown and hard, or "woody." If, according to the above, the plant needs a larger pot, select, if the plant is of slow growth or " hard wooded " (such as Camellias, Azaleas, Daphne, etc.,) a pot 16 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE, one size larger; if the plant is "soft wooded" (Geraniums, Fuchsias, etc.,) a pot two sizes larger will do just as well. Fill the pot to the depth of one inch or more, according to the size of pot, with broken pots, pieces of bricks, or any- thing that water will readily drain through, put in a little soil and then put the plant in the centre of the pot, fill up the space between the ball of earth in which the plant has been growing and the side of the pot with soil ; press it in solidly with the thumbs or a stick, give the bottom of the pot a sharp rap on the pot-ting table and the operation is complete. If plants are in pots larger than necessary, take them out of the pots, carefully shake all the soil from the roots and wash them in clean water and re-pot in as small a pot as will hold the roots without crowding them ; use great care in re-potting, so that the roots may not be broken. If there is much tops on the plant they should be shortened until the roots begin to work in the new soil; this shortening process will encourage a strong young growth. When, after their season of blooming is over, Pelargoniums, Fuch- sias, and all other plants that should be cut back, as soon as they have started to make a new growth, they should be treated the same as plants that have been over-potted, inasmuch as they have not the same tops and flowers to sup- port for the time being, they will not need so much pot room. Plants that have been growing in the garden, when potted should be severely cut back, and the branches and foliage thinned out. Pot in as small pots as the roots will admit of; give one thorough watering afterward keep the foliage sprinkled but the roots rather dry, until the plants begin to grow. Plants that are grown for the beauty of their foliage and not for flowers will give better satisfaction if allowed plenty of pot room all the time they are growing. Under these conditions the foliage will be larger and richer than POTS AJTD POTTING. 17 if the roots are cramped for lack of room. Wliile if flowers are wanted they will be more freely produced if the plants are not allowed so much pot-room We wi^h it understood that plants that are grown mainly for the production of flowers should have plenty of pot room Avhile making their growth and as the season^ for flowering ap- proaches they should not be shifted into larger pots but be allowed to flower in the same pots in which they have per- fected their growth. We believe we have only one more caution to add to complete this chajDter. When re-potting, the plant should not be buried any deeper in the soil than it has been ; give the roots the additional food in the bottom and around the sides of the pot ; they don't need it on the surface. FlUS. Li AND 4.— FAKCY FLOWEK POTS. 18 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. CHAPTER HI. TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE. EMPERATURE is a subject which de- 1 mands our especial attention. Many cases 1^^ of faihire result from an uncongenial tem- perature; it is too high or too low. The effect of too high a temperature will soon be virfible in the weak, sickly growth of the plant ; ♦ Xj^^^^-? and some plants, Camellias for instance, Avill ■^'^^ drop their flower buds. If the temperature is too low, the plant ceases to grow and the foliage drops off. There must be sufficient heat to excite the roots into action : all plants will grow better if the roots are five degrees warmer than the atmosphere in M'hich the plants are grow- ing, as it produces a strong sturdy top growth that is always desirable. Many practical florists fail in the pro- duction of cut flowers in winter because the tops are warm- er than the roots, thus exciting a growth at the tops which the roots in their semi-dormant condition cannot support consequently the growth must necessarily be weak, and the result is no flowers, or perhaps a few may be produced, but they are poor, colorless, and very pitiable looking. Especially is this the case Avhen the plants are not in pots but are planted out in the greenhouse in a great body oi soil that it rather difficult to heat. The mode of heating must be governed by circumstances and surroundings_ Few of us would like to put an oil blast stove in our bay windows; an alcohol lamp would look better, and suffi- cient heat would be generated by it; in very cold weather it might require two such lamps; in a small conservatory the oil stove would be decidedly preferable. But the great TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE. 19 majority of plant growers have Beither bay windo-vvs or conservatories, and their plants must be cared for. They re- ceive as a rule just such treatment as can be given them, with- out in the least discommoding the occupants of the room or suite or rooms in which the plants may be growing ; as a rule the temperature is too high during the day and too low during the night, and the plants in most instances look very badly. One cause for this is the owner does not know what heat the plants require. In the after part of this book, among other things, we propose to give this infor- mation ; having acquired this knowledge, the culturist mil be better prepared to give the plants more appropriate places, as some parts in rooms are warmer than others, they will be occupied by the plants requiring a higher tempera- ture, while the now vacant cooler places will be occupied by the plants from the temperate zones. Plants that are grown in the Avindow, where they might possibly get frosted, will be greatly protected at night if papers are spread over them ; if perchance they should be frozen, plunge the tops in a tub of cold water and in a few minutes the frost will all have been extracted; if this cannot be done, place them where the sun cannot strike them, and allow them with the rising temperature of the room to grad- ually thaw out; in either case they should be shaded from sunlight for several hours after the frost is all gone. As we stated above, we will give the temperature in which plants of the diiFerent species will flourish. ever, we can put these plants in a shady phico, which will be more agreeable to them. Moisture. Plants need moii^ture, not water. A soil that is suitable to grow plants in is composed of innumera- ble minute particles of earth kept seperatcd by an equally large number of air spaces. One object in pulverizing the soil is to reduce a hard, solid mass of earth to numerous small particl(>s, and render the soil very porous. The object in making the soil comparatively firm after potting is to make the air spaces or pores small and very numerous. When a plant has been watered these air chambers are filled with water, and so long as the water remains the roots of the plants cannot work, because the particular food is absent, but as soon as the Avater drains off (and this is why we advocate drainage) the air made moist on its pas- sage through the soil fills these air chambers with a moisture from which the plant draws its main support. If this be true, and we have had sufficient evidence to prove to our entire satisfaction that it is true, is it not absolutely neces- sary that we provide channels whereby this surplus water can pass a way, just as soon as all the earth in the p.)t has been moistened by it. We have oftentimes been asked by amateur culturists " How often should plants be watered." Our reply has invariably been "just as often as they become dry." We will define as best we can what is meant by the word dry. Sometimes we speak of a thing as being "as dry as dust.' To allow the soil in which plants are growing to get to that' degree of dryness is almost sure death; it certainly is to most hard-wooded plants, while its effect on soft-wooded plants would be to stagnate their growth. Perhaps we can better define the word by comparison. The Avord dry (the appropriate time for watering) bears the same relation to dried or parched as moist does to saturate. A little experience will greatly assist in determining if water ia re- TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE. 21 quired, but until the reader lias had this experience we must give a little more information. Take two pots of the same size and fill both with dry soil; saturate the soil of one of them with water, then Avith the knuckles strike the sides of the pots alternately, and observe the difference in the sounds produced ; this tapping may be repeated a number of times, until you become pretty familiar with the sound, then by testing the pots in Avhich your plants are growing you can readily decide which to water; these should receive a sufficient amount of water to moisten all the soil, and should not be watered again until the soil is in the same condition it was prior to having been watered. ) Rain water is considered the best for watering plants because often times spring or well water contains too much foreign substances, such as minerals, alkalies, etc., which might prove injurious to the tender roots of many plants. While it is better that water for plants should be about the same temperature as the atmosphere in which the plants are growing, it does not matter to ten or fifteen degrees inasmuch as that even though the water be ten degrees cooler than the air in the room, when it is applied to the plants, in fifteen minutes the earth in the pot will be of the same temperature by the absorption of heat from the atmos- phere, as it was before the water was applied. If the wat- ering by coolej; water kept the earth for hows cooler than the temperature in the house then such a plan would prove injurious to some extent, but for only a few minutes no serious results can follow. Thus far we have only alluded to moisture at the roots ; we now wish to call your attention to moisture in the atmosphere iit which plants are grown. There are many plants such as the Cacti and succulents, that will flourish admirably in a dry atmosphere, but nearly all plants o^ 1 apid growth and those that carry a great quantity of fol- age, require a moist atmosphere. This may be produced 22 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. in different ways ; first by placing shallow pans filled with water among the plants or on the floors ; by placing damp moss or earth on the shelf or table where the plants arc growing; or by sprinkling the foliage of the plants; either. way will work satisfactorily. Among the benefits to be derived by a moist atmosphere are, first — the plants will not require more than half the quantity of water at the roots, or in other words, the moist atmosphere will not con- sume the moisture that Ls in the pots i. e., the food of the roots. Second, the insect known as the "red spider" cannot live in it. Third, it produces an effect upon the health and growth of house i)lants so great that after being grown in this way for a few months they are scarcely recognizable as the plants that were grown formerly in a dry air; The luxuriance of the foliage is sometimes aston- ishinsr. Elastic Flaut S^rinMer. Is made with a flat bot- tom perforated, detach- able, brass top. Is valu- able for "Window Garden- ing, Boquet Sprinkling, etc. , etc. Fia.. 5.— ELASTIC PLANT SPRINKLEH. INSECTS. 23 CHAPTER IV. INSECTS. 'ENERAL Jackson is the author of the t phrase that "Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty," the truth of -which is doubted by none in the sense in which he meant it. We wish to repeat it in relation to the freedom of plants from insects. We scarcely know what words to use in order v^ to impress upon the mind of the reader in the most forcible manner the importance of keeping the plants free from insects. These parasites will attack plants that are in perfect health, though they are less liable to attack than plants that are diseased, and unless they are annihi- lated right speedily, the plant, being robbed of its life- blood, will become diseased, and death will inevitably fol- low. Some of these vampires are so small as to be scarcely visible to the naked eye, but under a powerful microscope they appear to be monster.^. Since microscopes can be pro- cured now by a trifling outlay, we would advise the reader to obtain one ; the study of the life and habits of many insects Viill prove interesting, and by examining your flow- ers when highly magnifled, a world of beauty will be unfolded to your gaze of which you never dreamed you were the delighted possessor ; but to return to the insects. The ancient adage that " an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is so very appropriate and truthful in this connection that we cannot refrain from quoting it; in fact we want to quote it because it is the doctrine we desire to teach. Perhaps the best preventative that can be used is to keep the plants perfeoily clean and well syringed, and 24 SUCCESSFUL FLORICULTURE. see that all their other needs, such as moisture, heat, air, soil, etc., are supplied ; in fact keep your plants in good health, and you will not be troubled so much with insects. The benefits to be derived from having the plants in good health, is that they will be better prepared to repel the enemy or support it until its ravages become visible. You may ask, "How can I best keep ray plants clean?" .All plants that have smooth, glossy leaves may be cleansed by the free use of ivarm water and a sponge ; cold water will do equally as well if the leaves are not greasy or glutinous, still we believe that with water heated to about blood heat the blemish can be more speedily removed. The leaveaa. both the upper and under sides, and in at the axils of the leaves and the stem of the plant, should all be carefully washed ; if other than pure water is used, the foliage should h^ well syringed to thoroughly cleanse the plant. For those plants whose leaves are soft, and feel rough and hairy, better use a brush with rather stiff bristles ; after the plant has been carehiily brushed, syringe it with clear water; this will wash off the eggs of the insects, if there are any depos- ited on the plant. Another general rule is to submerge the tops of the plants in clear water heated to no more than 120 degrees. If this mode is to be pursued, proceed as follows: Pour the water in a vessel of sufficient depth that the tops of the plant may not be broken; test the lieat of the water Avith a thermometer ; if no more than 120 degrees, turn the plant top down and immerse the tops only in the water, withdrawing them as rapidly, as pos- sible without breaking atiy of the branches ; lay the plants on their sides, so that the drippings may not enter the pot. The above treatment is one of the best for amateurs who have but few plants to take care of. It will not injure the plants if the growth is natural, but if the plants have been grown in the shade, and the new growth is very weak and tender, it may be damaged; however, this will 'aot INSECTS. 25 4 injure the plant, as it would be decidedly better wltliout sucli a sickly growth. We would caution the operator to be very careful about the heat of the water, as well as the very short space of time the plants are in it, for we don't want any. body to cook their plants through carelessness and then accuse the author for giving directions that could lead to such a result. The above might be called hydropathic treatment. We will now describe the little animals that are the source of so much annoyance and trouble, and pre- scribe some allopathic medicine to assist them in leaving this mundane sphere; and while we give the remedy to de- stroy these insects do not forget that it is easier to prevent than to destroy. Green Fly or Aphis is known to all or nearly all Floricul- turists, nevertheless, for the benefit of the new beginner we will briefly describe it as we have seen it, with and without the aid of a microscope. In color, as is indicated by its name, it is green, its size varies from a scarcely perceptable object to one-eighth of an inch in length of body, which is egg-shaped; on either side are three legs which are jointed and have at the end two claws which form a hook-shaped foot, the head is small, eyes prominent. We think from this short description you will know the animal at first sight. The hot water remedy will kill him The fumes of tobacco smoke will prevent and kill, but it is obnoxious to most people, especially ladies. The smoke may be produced as follows: Procure some tobacco in the shape of stems, smoking tobacco or stumps of cigars; dampen with water to keep it from blazing and burning too rapidly. Have a few shavings to start your fire, put these in a common flower pot or tin can, (with holes in the bottom) or anything that w^ill not burn ; better, however, have something that can be de- voted exclusively to this purpose, say an old tin bucket, that in its youthful days would have held one or two gallons of water. Around the sides of this, about an inch 26 StrCCESSrUL FLOtSICULXURE. from the bottom, punch a row of holes about i of an inch in diameter to allow a draught. Inside the bucket may- be placed three or four 2 inch pots, on these place a cir- cular piece of seive or screen, have a funnel-shaped lid for the bucket, Avith a hole in it two or three inches in diameter through which the smoke may escape. A cover should- be provided for the hole in the lid so that when sufficient smoke is diffused the supply may be cut off. This fumigating bucket may be made at a small cost and w'ithout much trouble. Light your shavings, drop them in the bucket, and on them put the tobacco, the quantity of smoke may be determined by noticing that when the smoke leaves the the bucket it is warm, and rises to the roof or ceiling, then falls. When it has fallen sufficiently to encircle the pots nearest the floor or table a sufficient dose shall have been administered for that time. Fumigating should be done not less than once a week, and one dose as a prevenfative will be more efficacious than two given as a cure. Other modes of fumigating may be adopted, if the above is not practicable, such as using a shallow dii^h for the tobacco instead of the bucket we have described, and putting the plants under a barrel or tub with the tobacco, or the fumigating bucket will prove serviceable if a pipe made of tin is attached to the hole in the lid of the bucket and let down to the bottom of the barrel or tub. "NMien the barrel is filled the smoke will escape at the bottom ; as soon as you notice this allow no more smoke to enter. 