1878.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



203 



strong soap answers well in solution with "White 

 Hellebore. I have a partiality for good soft- 

 soap for such purposes, having found it as effec- 

 tive as whale-oil soap with house plants, and less 

 disagreeable as well as cheaper. 



The enquiries of a ''Reader," last Autumn, for 

 a cure for mealy bug, recalled my experience 

 with the Hellebore solution in the case of scale ; 

 and I suggested to my friend, Mr. Wni. H. Hogg, 

 florist, of this city, to try it upon a large Ste- 

 phanotis, on a trellis in one of his houses, on 

 which the mealy bug had been long established. 

 The following experiment was devised and con- 

 ducted entirely by Mr. Hogg, who permits me 

 to report it : He made a ball of powdered White 

 Hellebore and whale-oil soap, suited to the 

 ■cavity of one of Wheeler's screw-globes, attach- 

 able to a hydrant or force-pump, for the purpose 

 ■of distributing insecticide liquids or manures. 

 The action of the water flowing around the 

 ball, inside of the globe, is to dissolve the ball 

 gradually, and distribute the solution of Helle- 

 bore and soap through the hose without further 

 trouble. In Mr. Hogg's house the globe and 

 hose were connected with the city water-pipes, 

 und commanded all the pressure needed or 

 •desirable. The Stephanotis was washed with 

 the hose at first daily. After a week, or say six 

 applications, the mealy bug had very much 

 •diminished, and, with occasional washings, the 

 plant and house have been for several weeks 

 apparently free of the* pest, except on closest 

 examinatioii, when some slight traces can still 

 he found. Practically, the success has been 

 perfect, and the cost in trouble and labor small. 

 Mr. Hogg also bears testimony to the complete 

 effectiveness of this application with the hose to 

 plants infested with scale. I think gardeners 

 will recognize the importance of this experiment. 

 White Hellebore must now be considered as the 

 most powerful insecticide known, which is not 

 also a planticide. 



about the middle or latter part of May, I place 

 the plants in a small house ; close all ventilators. 

 I admit no air but only once a week to let 

 the foul air escape. Here I keep the plants 

 saturated with water until the 15th of Septem- 

 ber, when I partially withhold water until the 

 end of the month, when I remove all the plants 

 to a cool, airy place, so that the leaves in some 

 shape or other assume a yellowish cast ; but the 

 plants must not be allowed to shrivel. About the 

 middle of November I take one or two or more, 

 as according to what stock I may have, and in- 

 troduce them into heat, and do so at an 

 interval of six to ten weeks. This is all that I 

 know of the Eucharis to make it flower the entire 

 year. I do not pot my plants every year ; I allow 

 them now four to six years in the same pot, if 

 the drainage is good. 



ASPECT OF A GREENHOUSE. 



BY FLETCHER WILLIAMS, WAYNE CO., N. Y. 



Many are deterred from the enjoyment of a 

 a greenhouse or conservatory in connection with 

 the dwelling house, under the idea that certain 

 Southerly exposures are necessary. I would say 

 to those, that from experience, I have learned 

 to regard the difference in exposure as of no 

 practical consequence, at least not sufficient to 

 prevent the erection of the house where most 

 convenient. The element of success is rather 

 in a house constructed properly, to enable the 

 plants to be near the glass. And for the Camel- 

 lia, the Erica and the Rose tribes, and for many 

 other of our most desirable plants, I would con- 

 sider a Northern exposure as desirable. In this 

 case, however, more care may be necessary in 

 providing shelter from Winter winds. Double 

 glazing on the exposed part is an effective and 

 not expensive method. 



EUCHARIS AMAZONICA. 



BY RODERICK CAMPBELL, T'TICA, N. Y. 



I pot all the plants at one time, that is in a 

 compost of turfy loam and sand, well mixed 

 together ; let the compost lie at least two months 

 before using, in a dry place, and at the time of 

 potting I place through the t-ompost pieces of 

 cow-dung, well dried, as large as walnuts, using 

 pots according to the size of plants wanted, 

 well di'ained ; the draining must be complete or 

 .failure follows. After all is potted, whi>li I do 



CURE FOR CRACKING IN PEARS. 



BY MISS C. E. BREWSTER. 



About cracking in Pears, several times I have 

 known of its being radically cured by burying 

 old rusty iron about the roots, or watering 

 plentifully with copperas water. In fact, I have 

 never known either to fail ; though the cracking 

 of Pears mentioned by your correspondents may 

 be occasioned by some cause which cannot be 

 removed by " Iron in the Soil." 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Beautiful China Asters.— The Garden h:us 

 a colored plate of beautiful Asters. IIow won- 



