PAELOR PLANTS. 75 



Sudden changes of temperature, and cold drafts, should be avoided : 

 to some plants a chill is almost as injurious as frost. During the pres- 

 ent winter we have grown palms {Latania), agaves, Cyiyri]}edium 

 insigne, Tillanclsias, four species of ferns, Chinese primroses, and 

 pelargoniums in a large entry where every cold night the mercury 

 was as low as 42°, and more healthy plants one could not wish. 

 A good plan is to separate a bow window from the room by a glass 

 partition, making in fact a small conservatory, and thus pure air, 

 moisture, and light can be secured. Evaporation of water on 

 stoves or furnaces is of great benefit, and should be universally 

 adopted ; in fact the moister we can keep the air of the room, con- 

 sistently with the health and comfort of the inmates, the better it 

 will be for the plants ; but let us remember that in a low tempera- 

 ture the moisture may be less than where the room is kept very 

 warm. 



Cleanliness is of the first importance. A dirty plant will not 

 thrive. The fine dust always floating in the air of living rooms 

 settles upon the plants. This is easily removed by sponging with 

 lukewarm water, or by removing the plant to a sink and copiously 

 showering it from the fine rose of a water-pot. The stem also of 

 hard wooded plants should be occasionally sponged. 



The frequency of showering or washing must be regulated by 

 the necessities of the case or the nature of the plant. Some plants 

 are impatient of water upon the foliage. In many cases dust may 

 be removed by gentle brushing with a soft feather duster. 



Under this head we may properly speak of the insects infesting 

 house plants. These are few, and very little attention will keep 

 plants clean. 



' Green flj^, or aphis, which is the most common pest, is best de- 

 stroyed by smoking. Place the infested plant under a barrel, put 

 a few live coals in a dish, moisten some common plug tobacco that 

 it may not blaze, throw it upon the coals, and let the plant remain 

 in the fumes from five to ten minutes ; then give the plant a good 

 syringing or sprinkling, and the work is done. 



Thrip seldom attacks house plants ; should they be found, smok- 

 ing will remove them. Red spider is kept down by moisture, — 

 frequent washing and sprinkling will destroy it. 



Mealy bug is one of the worst pests of the greenhouse, but is 

 rare on parlor plants. Washing will remove it, but the best 

 plan is to touch the places where it is seen with a camel's hair 

 pencil dipped in diluted alcohol. 



