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HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



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was given out. When the Bed Spider is 

 present, the best way to destroy it is ; 

 repeated forcible syringingsof the leaves, i 

 with applications of a sulphur wash to the 

 pipes, as recommended for Mildew, 

 which see. 



"Carnation Ticitter" is an insect but 

 little known, and in this district only 

 by its local name of " Carnation Twit- 

 ter," given from its rapid and nervous 

 motion. As seen by the naked eye, it 

 is about the twentieth part of an inch 

 in length, and of a thickness not more 

 than that of a needle point. It is of vari- 

 ous shades of color, from green to black. 

 It is never very numerous on the plants, 

 but most destructive, and evidently poi- 

 sonous in its attacks on all varieties of 

 the Carnation or Dianthus family. Its 

 effects on plants somewhat resemble 

 those of the Bed Spider, except that, 

 when attacked by the "Twitter," the 

 leaves have a cankered and twisted ap- 

 pearance, easily distinguishable from the 

 browning effects of the Spider; and it is 

 far more destructive. We have often 

 seen thousands of Carnation plants de- 

 stroyed by it in a season. We regret to 

 say that, so far, we have found nothing 

 that will destroy this insect that does not 

 at the same time injure the plant. We 

 have tried Tobacco in all forms, lime, 

 soot, Hellebore, Paris Green, Quassia, 

 Aloes, and all the nostrums usually bane- 

 ful to insect life, without seeming in the 

 slightest to disturb the " Twitter." We 

 have found, however, that its ravages are 

 worst on light soils; on heavy, stiff clay 

 land we have never known it to do much 

 injury. 



Brown and White Scale Insects are often 

 troublesome on old plants of Oleanders, 

 Orange trees, and some hot-house plants, i 



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They are best destroyed by being wash- 

 ed or rubbed off. 



The Angle Worm, or the common red 

 worm, seen in nearly every soil, in pots 

 or in the open ground, is harmless as 

 far as feeding on the plant goes, for it 

 does not feed on the plants, but bores and 

 crawls around in a way which seriously 

 disturbs the roots of plants, particularly 

 when growing in pots. Some savant has 

 recently given it as his opinion that the 

 Angle Worm is highly beneficial in pul- 

 verizing the soil, and that Nature has 

 placed it there for that purpose. We are 

 afraid that there are few cultivators that 

 feel grateful to the Angle Worm for such 

 service, and that most of us would rather 

 be allowed to do our own pulverizing 

 without this " natural " assistance. The 

 Angle Worm is easily destroyed with 

 the following solution: one peck of shell 

 lime in forty gallons of water, allowing 

 the residue to settle at the bottom, and 

 watering the plants with the clear lime 

 water. The caustic of the lime acts on 

 the cuticle of the worms, and is quickly 

 fatal to them. 



There are many insects that attack 

 the Cabbage tribe, among the best known 

 of which is that which causes the dis- 

 . ease known as " Club Boot," (which see.) 

 Another enemy of the Cabbage plant, 

 and one that is sometimes even more de- 

 structive than the Club Boot, is the Cab- 

 bage Caterpillar or Cabbage Worm. This 

 insect is comparatively a new comer in 

 the vicinity of New York, having been, it 

 is believed, imported from Europe. It is 

 produced by a small Avhite butterfly that 

 is seen hovering over the Cabbage 

 patches in spring. It attacks the leaves 

 of the plant, and is such a voracious 

 feeder that it will quickly destroy a whole 



