ORCHIDS : HOW TO GROW THEM SUCCESSFULLY. 45 



soon becomes very troublesome. There are numerous kinds of insects 

 which are enemies to the plants, and for the well being of the latter it 

 is essential that all these pests should be kept in check. A camel's hair 

 brush and a piece of sponge used by careful hands, and with clear soft 

 water, are the best and most effective tools with which to clean away 

 insect life from the plants. Insecticides, whether home made or other- 

 wise, are always more or less dangerous, and often lead to the rotting 

 away of the young growths of some of the more tender plants, such as 

 Chysis, Stanhopeas, Deiidrobiums and Phaius. 



TOBACCO WATER can be made by well .soaking a half pound of 

 common twist tobacco in hot water, adding a half pound of soft soap, 

 which is sufficient for four gallons of water, and makes a capital 

 solution, which is both safe to use and effective, and into which the 

 plant may be dipped for a few seconds when affected by thrip or aphis, 

 taking care that the water is of the same temperature as the house. 

 If the solution is very strong it will be safest to dip the plant into 

 clean water after the lapse of a few minutes, but if of the proper 

 strength the solution may be allowed to dry on it. The danger to be 

 avoided is the lodgment of any portion in the young and tender 

 growths, which easily rot from this cause, therefore it is best to be 

 cautious and well dry the liquid out of the hearts of the young growth 

 with a camel's hair brush. 



There are many chemical compounds made and freely advertised 

 for the destruction of insect enemies to plant life, all of which may 

 be good in their way, if used carefully according to the directions 

 accompanying each, and are not injurious to plants. 



FUMIGATION is of great assistance in the prevention of insect 

 life, and it can be applied without injury to either foliage or flowers, 

 when used in the form of ''Campbell's Fumigating Insecticide" or 

 "Kichardson's XL All Fumigating Insecticide." It is safest to 

 fumigate under rather than over the directions issued, especially for 

 Odontoglossums. When it is desirable to fumigate choose a calm 

 evening for the operation the atmosphere should not be over dry 

 nor should the foliage be at all wet. 



SYRINGING. The indiscriminate use of the syringe as a check to 

 the spread of insects is not a good practice, either with clear water or 

 water mixed with any insecticide, being ineffective and frequently the 

 reverse of satisfactory. 



SCALE, which clings so tenaciously to the leaves of Saccolabiums, 

 Aerides, and Coslogyiie cristata in particular, is a great pest, and 

 where it exists in large numbers, it is a good plan to make up a 

 "lather" of yellow soap, and paint the leaves with it, allowing it to 

 remain five minutes, afterwards washing it off with a sponge and clear 

 water, when, should the scale still cling to the leaves, a little rubbing 

 will remove it. There is a species of scale which infests Cattleyas and 



