AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 301 



LICE ON PLANTS. 



The best thing to cure this difficulty, probably, is tobacco-water Solu- 

 tion of aloes is also recommended. 



Dr. Grant, the great grape culturist, said that he would state, for the 

 benefit of amateur florists, how to rid them of these troublesome insects. 

 Prepare a tub or some deep vessel full of soap suds, or what you might 

 term almost a sort of diluted soap, and let the pot stand in it half an hour, 

 and then rinse off with clear water. Take the pot in the hands, and 

 reverse and dip the plant in the suds. For plants in the garden a syringe 

 must be used with the soapy mixture, which is also a good fertilizer for 

 the plants. Care must be taken to wash well with clear water afterwards. 



Andrew S. Fuller. — I have talked flowers so much that I have talked 

 out, but I am willing to answer questions. I have killed the plant aphis 

 in green-houses by burning tobacco and cayenne pepper. A house plant 

 may be smoked by a common pipe, reversed and blown through. Put a 

 small coal of fire into a pipe, tobacco on that, and then blow through it on 

 to the insects, but be careful to wash the plants well afterwards ! they love 

 to have all their pores open and clear. Pure water put on with great force 

 ■will wash off insects. 



JARS FOR PLANTS. 



Dont't use a glazed jar for plants under any circumstances. 



SWEET WILLIAMS. 



This is one of the finest, hardy, fragrant flowers that we have, and 

 grows from seeds, though not always perfect. I have got 30 fine double 

 flowers from 500 seed ; the others were single. 



THE WARDER CASE 



is a fine parlor ornament, and succeeds well. 



Mr. Meigs. — The Rafflcsia was so called after Governor Raffles, of the 

 Island of Java, who first brought it to European notice. 



DOUBLE FLOWERS. 

 Dr. Adams said, many of the flowers that we esteem so much are 

 works of art — they do not exist in nature. It would be a very important 

 inquiry what is the cause of this great increase of petals, which makes the 

 double flowers, whether the change originates in the seed, or how it is pro- 

 duced. Take the common Marygold, for instance, and it sometimes pro- 

 duces flowers that may be called monstrosities. However common and 

 simple some of these things may be, they afford subjects for valuable 

 studies. 



SEEDLINGS. 



Mr. Fuller. — We want a good yellow verbena and a good double one, 

 and the lady that succeeds in this will confer a great favor upon the world. 



