380 THE PESTS OF GARDEN PLANTS 



sure preventive of vermin ; but it is a wide term, and comprehends 

 in every instance the conditions requisite to the most complete develop- 

 ment of any particular plant. The sickly plant is the first to be 

 attacked by insects, and in many cases air and water will do much to 

 extinguish the plague and restore the plant to health. 



APHIS in some form or other is the most persistent and perplex- 

 ing of the common plant pests. The Green Fly is the enemy of the 

 softer kinds of vegetation, and the Blue and the ^Black Fly are 

 common plagues of the Peach-house and the orchard. The tender 

 body of the Aphis is instantly affected by conditions unfavourable to 

 its life, and hence it is one of the easiest to destroy, but its marvel- 

 lous power of reproduction renders its extinction impossible, for in 

 every instance a few escape and very soon re-establish their race. 

 The two best remedies against Aphis are hot water and tobacco 

 smoke. In the case of a few small pot plants, such as Fairy Roses 

 in pots, hot water is the best eradicator of Green Fly. The water 

 must in no case exceed 150 of* Fahrenheit, but for soft-textured 

 plants, such as Chinese Primulas, 140 is the maximum allowable, for 

 to dip the plants in very hot water will be to cook them as well as 

 the fly. With a pail or tub filled with water sufficiently hot, take the 

 plant in the right hand and place the fingers of the left hand over the 

 surface of the mould to prevent an accident, and then turn the plant 

 over and plunge it into the water, and move it up and down briskly 

 two or three times, when the whole of the insects will be removed 

 into the water, the heat of which will kill them. When a houseful of 

 plants is affected, lose no time in fumigating. The plants should 

 be quite dry, and the house closely shut. If none of the modern 

 appliances for this purpose are at hand, take a large flower-pot, and 

 make a hole in the side of it about an inch above the bottom. 

 Throw into the pot a few hot cinders, and then a few fragments of 

 brown paper, When the paper begins to burn freely, put on it a 

 little dry tobacco, and then add shag tobacco or tobacco paper in 

 smallish pieces and slightly damped, and place the pot in the house 

 it ought to give off a dense cloud of smoke without bursting into 

 a flame and watch from the outside. If you are soon unable to see 

 what is going on, you may conclude that all is right ; but if a flame 

 occurs, you must open the house at once and extinguish it, and begin 

 again. If all goes well, no air should be given, but the smoke must 

 be allowed to do its deadly work. Early the next morning syringe 

 the plants freely, and in the course of an hour or so give air. 



