74 THRIPS, WHITE SCALE, COCKROACHES, BED SPIDER. 



thrips, the white scale, the cockroach, the slug, and red spider- 

 all bad enough when they prevail to any extent. 



The thrips not only feeds upon the leaves, but exudes a glutin- 

 ous liquor, which stops up the pores of the leaves ; which, to- 

 gether with the swelling out of the sap, causes the leaves to 

 become blotched, gangrenous, and finally to perish. Frequent 

 smokings with tobacco will destroy the living insects, also a 

 dredging with Scotch snuff is a good agent for destroying them ; 

 but keeping the plants healthy and frequent spongings will 

 generally banish this pest. 



White Scale. This insect is often found in large numbers on 

 imported Orchids. The far-famed Gishurst Compound is the 

 best destroying agent I have seen yet applied. I have, however, 

 cleared plants of the scale by a mixture of sulphur, soft soap, 

 and tobacco water. 



Cockroaches arrive in this country amongst imported Orchids, 

 both in the egg state and alive. There are many remedies adver- 

 tised. Chase's Beetle Poison is as good as any. I have thinned 

 the numbers of them by placing a glass vessel half full of sweet- 

 ened beer in their tracks, and by searching for them in dark 

 nights with a bull's-eye lantern, and with a pronged fork impaling 

 them, or killing them with a flat piece of wood. I have been 

 dreadfully annoyed in some mornings ty find a nice young root 

 eaten away, or a promising flower-shoot half gnawed through, by 

 these insects ; and so will every grower of Orchids, unless he 

 wages war with them continually. So also with the white slug, 

 or any other species of that ilk. In moist houses they can travel 

 about easily; but with a little watchful care they may be traced 

 to their hiding-places and destroyed. 



The Red Spider is a tiny enemy, feeding upon the young 

 leaves and turning them yellow. It may be kept under by 

 washing the flues or hot-water pipes with sulphur water. Frequent 

 sponging is also a preventive, and also a free use of the syringe 

 on affected plants. 



These are all the insects that I need mention as being destruc- 



