ON THE ODOURS OF PLANTS. 293 
TREATMENT OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS IN OCTOBER 
AND NOVEMBER. 
BY A GARDENER IN THE PEAK OF DERBYSHIRE) 
Havine been a subscriber to your valuable work for a number of 
years, may I occupy a few lines on the treatment of greenhouse plants 
during the months of October and November. Iam sorry that I am 
too Jate in entering upon the subject for this year, but it may be of use 
in future years. J have often heard gardeners complain that those two 
months are the worst in the year for the health of greenhouse plants. It 
generally happens (as at the present time) that we have very mild damp 
weather for weeks together, and, as a matter of course, most persons’ like 
to keep their houses as cool and airy as possible; but in giving great 
quantities of air at such times, without fire heat to dry up the damp- 
ness of the atmosphere, they often find their plants, particularly such 
as are in a growing state, thickly studded with beads like dew drops all 
round the leaves, even in the middle of the day, which are certain to 
ensue in mildew and mouldiness ; and if the plants once get these pests 
amongst the stock, it is not easily got rid of for some time, therefore 
prevention is better than cure. My plan is simply this: at this 
season of the year I look over my entire stock of plants to see which 
wants water, every alternate morning; this I think is quite often 
enough; and on those mornings I always light a fire the first thing, 
and raise a gentle heat, (at the same time giving all the air possible) ; 
one fire is quite sufficient, and I let it go out about ten o’clock, then it 
has plenty of time to dry up the superabundant moisture and get cool 
before night. With this attention I never find either mildew or 
mouldiness on any plant; the only pest that I have is the mealy bug 
in the stove, which I can do nothing with in the way of destroying. 
T have tried all manner of things that I can think of, such as tobacco- 
water, soft-soap Jiniment, mercurial ointment, neatsfoot-oil, lime and 
sulphur, soot and lime. Now I have tried them all in different ways, 
such as mixing two or more sorts in different proportions, but all to no 
avail; some of them have brought the leaves entirely off without 
injuring the pest in the least. I once saw recommended water at 180 
degrees Fahrenheit for destroying the mealy-bug; I tried that, but I 
shall never do it again. I was very happy that I only tried one plant ; 
I gave ita slight syringe, which very soon sent it to oblivion. If 
any of your correspondents can give me any information how to 
destroy the insect but not injure the plant it will greatly oblige me. 
ON THE ODOURS OF PLANTS, AND THE MODES OF 
OBTAINING THEM. 
Nerout or ORANGE Ftower.—Few odours have a more extensive 
use in the art of perfumery than this: it is in no way altered by separa- 
tion from the plant ; hence, when on the handkerchief, it does not alter 
or become faint like many other perfumes; it forms the basis of the 
famed Eau de Cologne. It is procured from the Citrus Aurantium 
