AND CONSEEVATORY. 265 



then take the pot out of the house, and remove the uncon- 

 sumed portion ; for when it is allowed to burn nearly out, and 

 then left in the house to smoulder, there is a danger of a 

 portion of the paper becoming quite dry, and then bursting 

 into a flame. In using Dreschler's fumigator the paper must 

 be ignited in exactly the same manner as in the flower pot, 

 and until it is fairly alight turn the handle connected with the 

 cage rather quickly, but afterwards it must be turned slowly. 

 Let the foliage of all plants be quite dry when fumigated, 

 for when moist it is invariably more or less injured by the 

 smoke. The evening of a still day is the most suitable for the 

 work, as the house can remain closed for at least twelve hours 

 afterwards. All openings must be closed, and the roofs of 

 small structures and pits covered with mats or canvas, to 

 prevent the too rapid escape o£ the smoke. Usually two 

 fumigations with an interval of one or two days between will 

 suffice, but when the plants are badly infested with thrips it 

 will be necessary to fumigate three times on alternate days. 

 In the morning after the house has been fumigated give the 

 plants a thorough syringing to wash off" the dead insects, and 

 to finish off those in a dying state. As the smoke will destroy 

 the flowers in a wholesale manner, all plants in bloom which 

 it is desired to preserve must be removed. 



Dipping. — Clear water is the most valuable insecticide, for 

 when the plants are syringed freely during the growing season 

 there will not be much danger of their being infested with 

 green-fly or any other pests. Hot water is remarkably effica- 

 cious, and any soft plant may be dipped into water heated to 

 120° Fahr., while plants of harder texture may be dipped in 

 water at 1-10°. Gisburst compound, prepared according to the 

 patentee's directions, is perhaps one of the most effectual and 

 the cheapest of the preparations. Tobacco-water, which can 

 be made by steeping good shag tobacco in boiling water for a 

 few hours, is efficacious and easily made. A little size mixed 

 with any of the liquid mixtures will ensure its adhering to the 

 foliage, and it will do no harm if the plants are thoroughly 

 syringed the following day. Large plants must be syringed, 

 but for those of small or medium size sufficient should be made 

 to admit of their being immersed, for every portion of the 

 foliage will then be thoroughly moistened, and all real waste 

 prevented, provided, of coarse, the plants are held over the 



