I04 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[April, 



race. Three days later he thought he would give 

 them a " big smoke," that would "lay out" the 

 black pests. So, unknown to me, he used about 

 three times as much tobacco as usual, and when 

 I e.xamined the house next morning, I found that 

 most of the insects had been killed, and be- 

 sides, my bed of smila.\ that filled one side of the 

 house was ruined. It was growing rapidly, was 

 soft, and easily injured. 



My next trouble was soori developed, when I 

 found the dark aphis had escaped into a long 

 bench of single violets. Then they must be put 

 down and kept down, or I sliould have no flowers. 

 Had tried tobacco and failed; did not like to resort 

 to petroleum lest iny plants should be killed. 

 Next we resorted to hot water. Had it drawn 

 from the boiler, and after adjusting the tempera- 

 ture to 130°, we thoroughly covered the violets 

 with it, using the syringe. Watered them in the 

 same manner, all the plants needed, for two or 

 three weeks. The result was, the insects were 

 killed, the plants started into healthy growth, and 

 flowered finely. 



This experience of a novice has several lessons : 

 1st. Growing plants will not bear much smoke. 

 2d. Water at 130O will kill small insect enemies. 

 3d. Hot water applied to the roots of growing 

 plants is beneficial in cold winter weather. 



Wizshington Heights, III. 



PAINT FOR HOT-WATER PIPES. 



BY READER. 



Why do not the " victims " of gas tar use lamp- 

 black and linseed oil mixed to the consistency of 

 paint, for painting their hot-water pipes ? It will 

 prevent rust and improve the looks of the pipes 

 without injury to plant or foliage. Certainly gas 

 tar will not do more. After the preparation has 

 thoroughly dried, a going over once a fortnight of 

 the exposed portions of the pipes with cotton waste 

 saturated with oil will brighten them up like new. 



Berwyn, Pa. 



GHIESBREGHT'S SERICOGRAPHIS. 

 BY CHARLES E. PARNELL. 



Sericographis Ghiesbreghtiana is a very pretty 

 and valuable winter flowering warm greenhouse 

 plant, belonging to the natural order Acanthacece. 

 It is a shrub of dwarf growth, attaining a height 

 of from one and a half to two feet, with smooth 

 stems and opposite oblong lanceolate undulated 

 dark green leaves, on short petioles producing its 

 bright scarlet colored flowers, in small, loose, one- 



sided panicles, in the greatest profusion during 

 the months of January and February ; and on 

 this account is a very desirable addition to any 

 collection of stove* or greenhouse plants. The 

 individual flowers are from one and a half to 

 two inches in length. This Sericographis is a 

 plant that can be easily cultivated. It thrives best 

 in a compost of two-thirds well rotted sods, and 

 one-third well decayed manure; and as it is 

 a plant of robust growth, it should be given a 

 good share of pot room. Be careful to drain the 

 pot well, and during its season of growth give 

 liquid manure water freely. During the winter 

 season it should be given a light sunny situation, 

 and an average temperature of 55° with a liberal 

 supply of water ; but when it has ceased, a limit- 

 ed supply of water and a lower temperature will 

 be more suitable. In the summer season the 

 plants should be planted out in a well enriched, 

 deep border; care being taken as to watering dur- 

 ing dry weather, and at such times I have found a 

 mulch of coarse littery manure to be of the great- 

 est advantage, not only to this, but to many other 

 greenhouse plants. When grown under glass it is 

 very subject to the attacks of two very troub- 

 lesome insects, the mealy bug and red spider, so 

 that care is necessary to keep them in subjection. 

 On this account the plants should be freely and 

 frequently syringed. Propagation is effected by 

 cuttings ol the young wood placed in sand, and 

 given a gentle bottom heat. If the young plants 

 are liberally treated and shifted as often as nec- 

 essary, nice flowering specimens will soon be ob- 

 tained. Its native country is unknown, and noth- 

 ing is known with certainty of its history, except- 

 ing this, that in 1846 Messrs. RoUison, of Tooting, 

 England, received it from M. Mackoy, a Belgian 

 nurseryman, under the name of Aphelandra 

 Ghiesbrieghtiana. Queens, L. I , New York. 



REMOVING GAS TAR FROM HOT-WATER 

 PIPES. 



BY A NEW JERSEY CORRESPONDENT. 



.Vlthough I have not been troubled with gas 

 tar on my pipes at any time, yet, from my knowl- 

 edge of gas tar in many experiments, I know 

 the cure. If a thick coat of whitewash of lime be 

 put on, after scraping ofT with a knife all it is pos- 

 sible to, then the lime absorbs all the rest, and if 

 one coat will not do it two or three surely will. It 

 may be found necessary to rub off each coat if 

 much blackened. The lime has a great affinity 

 for the tar and will absorb it all out, unless it (the 



