ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RED SPIDER. 20*7 



March. When the flower-stems appear, they should he tied to neat 

 sticks, painted green, to give them a handsome form. If allowed to 

 trail over the sides of the pot they do not look well, from the half- 

 erect hahit of the plants. We have trained them to small delicately- 

 made trellises, of a fan shape, and found the plants to present a very 

 showy appearance ; this, however, is unnecessary, unless the amateur 

 has leisure time, and wishes to iudulge in such fancy work : to look 

 well it must be done neatly, and the plants often looked over, and the 

 stems tied up with fine bass or grass matting. In this manner the 

 plants are rendered the gayest objects of the greenhouse or parlour, 

 blooming abundantly from March to June. The plants might be 

 then turned out into the border, where they will continue to flower all 

 summer. — Hovey's Mag. of Horticulture. 



ARTICLE VIII. 



ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RED SPIDER, IN PLANT STOVES, 



GREENHOUSES, &c. 



BY A PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



As far as my knowledge extends, Mr. Speechley was the first indi- 

 vidual who recommended sulphur for the destruction of the Red 

 Spider (Acarus tellurius) ; and in most cases, by his manner of 

 application, it was a certain cure, viz., by brushing every leaf and 

 stem with the mixture. However, from the length of time it re- 

 quired, connected with the tedious operation of separately brushing 

 both the under and upper surface of every leaf, rendered it almost 

 impossible to do it to any extent. 



Another great objection -was, the friction of the brush often injured 

 the leaves, so that those who had sufficient perseverance to go 

 entirely through with the operation, generally found, when they had 

 finished, the plants they had been dressing weie considerably 

 damaged. This led some persons to start the erroneous idea of wash- 

 ing the flues with sulphur, under the supposition that it would 

 prevent the insect's appearance; judging very wisely, that to pre- 

 vent a disease is far better than to cure it. 



We know from experience that sulphur in an ignited state will 

 destroy either animal or vegetable life, and to apply any cpiantity of 

 it to those parts of the flues, subject to great heat, will always be 



