84 orchid-growee's manual. 



ofi', when all the insects will be destroyed. Care should, how- 

 ever, be taken not to use it too strong. Cattleyas are very 

 subject to this pest. The following is another recipe for 

 destroying it : — To one gallon of rain water add eight ounces 

 of soft soap, one ounce of tobacco, and three table-spoonfuls 

 of spirits of turpentine ; stir well together, and leave the mix- 

 ture for forty-eight hours ; then strain it through a cloth, 

 when it will be ready for use. It is necessary to rub the 

 plants over two or three times, if they are much infested, but 

 once will be sufficient in most cases. Any portion of the 

 mixture remaining after the plants are washed, should be put 

 into a bottle, and reserved for future use. This recipe is also 

 a cure for Thrips on azaleas or other plants. The ingredients 

 as above noted should be mixed in a large tub, and the plants 

 dipped in it ; this will speedily clear them of the pest. It 

 will be seen, therefore, that it is useful to others as well as 

 Orchid growers, and will prove a great saving of labour for 

 those who grow large plants for exhibition, or for those who 

 have a quantity of small plants to clear of such pests. 



The Meal,y-bug must be kept away by constantly watching 

 for it and frequently cleansiog the plants. Whenever a plant 

 is purchased that is infested wdth it, take care to cleanse it 

 thoroughly before placing it in the stove or Orchid house. In 

 a word, never allow insects to get the upper hand, or you wull 

 not long continue to grow plants to perfection, for all such 

 pests are as poison to plants — robbing them of their vigour, 

 and when they have lost that there is not much hope of them. 

 There are more plants lost through uncleanliness than from 

 any other cause. 



Cattleya Fly. One of the new insects we have now to 

 battle with is a kind of fly which attacks the Lcclias and 

 Cattleyas. A maggot appears at the base of the young growths, 

 and may easily be perceived by those who have once had 



