476 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN". 



feet, may be boiled in about an hour, and an escape tube should 

 be fixed so as to carry the steam entirely outside when not re- 

 quired for heating, &c. 



When using it for any purpose within the house, fix the cov- 

 ering, &c., of the boiler so that the escaping steam will not 

 strike any plant directly. When it is thus permitted to escape 

 during the night, your plants, on opening the house in the 

 morning, will generally appear as if covered with the heavy 

 dew of a cool night in early fall. They will not need syrin- 

 ging, but perhaps a little care to place any plants that may be 

 disposed to suffer from moisture near to the furnace, where they 

 will dry off quickly. Let your sashes be well glazed ; cover 

 them with good shutters or straw mats, or use double glazed 

 sashes and shades, and give attention to the gradual increase 

 of the temperature as above directed for house treatment. Wa- 

 ter moderately in the morning once or twice a week, as may be 

 found requisite, rather giving too little than too much at any 

 one time. If the temperature rise to 70, give air at the back 

 ventilators ; and if higher, admit a little also at the door or 

 lower ventilators, or both. 



The green-house is sometimes troubled with a small bright 

 red spider, which is very injurious to the plants. Moisture 

 prevents it ; but if it appear, the house should be whitewashed 

 while the wash is still hot, mixing into each pailful about a 

 pound of sulphur. If aphides or other insects infest the plants, 

 close the house carefully, and burn tobacco in a small furnace 

 or otherwise in it, until completely filled with the smoke, al- 

 lowing it to remain thick for fifteen or twenty minutes ; then 

 open the house and syringe it thoroughly. 



With the same view, single plants may be set in a covered 

 barrel containing tobacco, which may be rapidly burned by 

 blowing through a small draught-hole left for the purpose near 

 the bottom ; or the same end may be attained by setting a few 

 sticks around the plant, and throwing a cloth over and around 

 it, burning the tobacco underneath. For large plants an um- 

 brella may be used, with a stick of sufficient length spliced for 

 the time to its handle, and a cast-off skirt, hooped if conven- 

 ient, with the gathers taken out, run on to its outer edge ; this 



