IN MY LADY'S GARDEN 



not by any means a safe insecticide unless used with care. 

 Insects of all kinds are destroyed by it, however, and in an 

 empty house a stronger dose may be used to cleanse the 

 woodwork thoroughly, syringing it strongly into all crevices. 

 Back walls should be whitewashed with hot lime and water 

 at the same time, and it will be well to finish by removing 

 the upper soil from all the borders of the house, then sprink- 

 ling lime over the surface before top-dressing the whole with 

 a little fresh material. So much is the health of our plants 

 increased by cleanliness and the absence of blights that it is 

 quite worth while to give all glasshouses an autumnal as well 

 as a spring cleaning. In fact, in the case of vines this can 

 only be done thoroughly after the grapes are cut. We have 

 adopted the plan of turning out the vine rods into the open 

 air for the winter with great success ; the long pane of glass 

 just above each rod is taken out and framed in wood, when 

 it is easy to remove or replace it, keeping it in position by 

 two small wooden buttons, one on either side. The effect 

 of the cold is to give the vines a perfect rest, and, at the 

 same time, to destroy all insects. When taken in at the end 

 of January (or a little later) they start with more vigour 

 and are thoroughly clean, so that in various ways the plan is 

 a desirable one, for it is difficult to give vines a thorough 

 rest where the temperature must be kept up for delicate 

 plants in winter. 





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