28 THE CVRNATTOX MANUAL 



the beds with thoroughly well-rotted manure, and 

 if the weather be hot and dry great attention must 

 be paid to watering. This matter of watering is 

 very important, for if the plants are once allowed 

 to get too dry at the roots all hope of fine bloom 

 is at an end for the year. It is true that in our 

 rainy climate a deficiency of water is not often 

 to be feared, but a caution upon the subject is 

 necessary. 



Plentiful syringing in dry weather in May and 

 June will be found of great assistance to the 

 plants; it encourages healthy growth and helps 

 materially to keep down green-fly, thrip, cuckoo- 

 spittle, &c. The plants must be carefully Avatched 

 during the summer for these pests, which must 

 be diligently got rid of. Perhaps the best, at any 

 rate the most easily applied, remedy for green-fly, 

 is dusting the plants with tobacco powder. 



Cuckoo-spittle must be removed by hand, and 

 is easily kept down ; but thrip is a very trouble- 

 some enemy to get rid of. They do not appear to 

 inJTU'e the plant materially, but they destroy the 

 beauty of the bloom even while yet in the bud: 

 The writer's plants were infested by it last summer. 

 Weak tobacco water is said to be the best remedy, 

 but proved of httle service. 



Bwhiidding. — There has been much discussion 

 on this subject. It cannot be denied that the 

 beauty of the plant is greatly enhanced by its 



