DESTRUCTION OF VERMIN. 213 



be closely examined, and if there be the least sign of any one 

 having been about, and it cannot be seen, the ball should be 

 turned out into the hand for examination, rather than risk 

 the introduction of so dangerous a visitor. 



If, notwithstanding all our care, we see a trace of snail or 

 slug on the ground, the walls, brick stages, or shelves, we 

 ought not to rest until we have found the offender ; for in a 

 single night it may eat off the best shoot of a valuable plant. 

 Potsherds may be placed about here and there, with the 

 hollow part towards the ground, for the chance of their har- 

 bouring them ; and if there be any danger of a colony among 

 the pipes, or under the stages or flues, it is a good plan to 

 sprinkle fresh lime rather thickly about ; for if it touches 

 them they will be destroyed, and it will prevent them from 

 coming abroad, even if they are not killed by the first apph- 

 cation. A fumigation of houses once a month, without wait- 

 ing for any excessive attack from aphids, is not money thrown 

 away. The smoke is a great enemy to all animal, or rather 

 insect, life ; and it has the effect of ridding us of too many 

 Sies, moths, maggots, and other living things, that do us no 

 good, and often do harm. Butterflies and moths, in summer- 

 time, often take the liberty of laying their eggs on a plant, 

 and, if the family be not disturbed by some of the washings 

 instituted for other purposes, yield us a goodly race of grubs, 

 which we may not detect until they have done a good deal of 

 mischief. This could often be prevented by periodical fumi- 

 gations ; and although this is not done without expense, it is 

 worth all it costs to be assured of an empty house, and there- 

 fore no bad tenants, or at least the extermination of all that 

 cannot live in tobacco smoke ; though the mealy bug and red 

 spider are not to be dislodged without other means. 



AH we have said of houses applies with equal force to hot- 

 beds, pits, frames, and other receptacles for plants ; there is 

 no difference in the remedies — all the means of extermination 

 practised in the stove and greenliouse will be equally effica- 

 cious in other horticultural buildings ; but in conservatories 

 we cannot apply them : all we can do there is to keep the 

 shelves, walls, windows, and all sorts of corners and ledges, 

 well cleaned, and to remove infected plants to the other 

 houses for fumigation ; for tobacco smoke will not agree with 

 the company who frequent the conservatory, even if it does 

 not communicate with the house. 



