600 THE GREEN-HOUSE [SEPT. 



llie destruction of tliis insect, that I know of, is to 

 briis!! the under surfaces of the leaves with a soft 

 brush, — what is called a sash-tool by painters. In 

 doing this, care must be taken not to bruise or in- 

 jure the leaves. It may readily be done, however, 

 by taking the foot stalk of the leaf to be brushed 

 between the thumb and finger of the left hand, 

 spreading the leaf back into the palm, and drawing 

 the brush once or twice gently across it, towards 

 the right hand. The larger leafed plants are the 

 more easily done, and with less risk of injuring them; 

 but any plant, by sufficient pains-taking, may be 

 cleansed so. It ma}^ be remarjced, that a new tool, 

 one that has never been di})ped in oil, is to be pre- 

 ferred to one that has been used, either in painting, 

 or has been much worn by brushing furniture, or 

 the like. The looser and the better separated the 

 ])ristles of the brush are, the better they catch hold 

 of, and break the webs of the in;^.ect. 



It may be proper now ;dso to examine the plants 

 carefully for other insects, as the coccus, chermes, 

 kc. and if any be found on them, to wash them 

 w ith soap and water, as directed in March. It is 

 advisal^ie to have the plants made quite clean about 

 this linio, or next month at the latest, that such 

 \\a'.hin£i:s may not he necessary ia winter. 



