DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS. 103 



Of all the insects that orchidaceous plants ai'e 

 infested with, cockroaches are the worst, they 

 being able to destroy a young shoot or spike of 

 flowers in one night. To destroy them, and like- 

 wise the small American ants, procure the follow- 

 ing mixture, (having first made ready a sufficient 

 number of small twigs four inches long, sharp at 

 one end to penetrate in the mould belonging to 

 the plant, with about an inch of the bark peeled 

 ofi" the other end :) a quarter of a pound of sper- 

 maceti wax, such as is used for making can- 

 dles ; melt this thoroughly, and mix two ounces 

 of white arsenic with it, dip the twigs into the 

 liquid until they are well coated, and when cold, 

 they should be inserted in the pots, and may re- 

 main in for months, as neither the heat of the 

 house nor the moisture will dissolve it, the insects 

 will soon find this out, and will come to feed upon 

 the wax ; the arsenic being mixed with it will 

 poison them. 



The method I generally practise for destroy- 

 ing the mealy hug is, first washing the plant 

 that is infested, with soap and water, having a 

 very little tobacco soaked in it ; afterwards, 

 again washing them in clear water, and finally, 

 dusting the parts affected, with the following 

 mixture : half a pound of camphor, dissolved 

 in one pint of spirits of wine, the former will 

 dry the latter up, and become a powder : then 



