Insect Pests in tKe Home GreenKouse 



GREEN and black aphids are the 

 first insects that appear in the 

 amateur's greenhouse. They make 

 eat headway unless checked in their 

 fancy. A few tobacco stems laid on 

 he benches or, better still, on the hot- 

 ater pipes if you have them, will keep 



A Prize-Winning Rex Begonia 

 Grown in greenhouses of Sir H. M. Pellatt, Toronto. 



these pests in check. Replace the stems 

 with fresh ones about every three weeks. 



A first-class insecticide is Nicoteen. 

 It may seem expensive at first, but it is 

 the cheapest in the end. It can be used 

 for syringing or spraying almost every- 

 thing in the greenhouse without the 

 danger of spoiling the plants. If diluted 

 to about the color of tea, a teaspoonful 

 in a gallon of water will be strong enough. 



The red spider often becomes a pest 

 during the winter months, if the house 

 should become very dry during the 

 night while hard firing. It can be killed 



E. r. Collins, Toronto 



The well-known mealy bug must be 

 watched for, and when seen picked or 

 sponged off by hand. Any spraying 

 mixture strong enough to kill it, will 

 also destroy any plant. Constant watch- 

 ing and killing on their first appearance 

 is the only remedy. 



The last few years a little pest in the 

 form of a white fly, a moth-shaped in- 

 sect, has become a nuisance in many 

 greenhouses where a mixed lot "of plants 

 are grown. No amount of spraying or 

 fumigating will kill it. The writer has 

 had some experience with it and finds 

 that the only remedy to keep it in 

 check is hydro-cyanic acid gas. Its 

 use can only be learned by actual ex- 

 perience. Begin with a small quantity 

 and note the effect, increasing each 

 time until you find the flies dead, and 

 the plants not injured. It is not so 

 much the strength used as the length of 

 time you allow the gas to remain in the 

 greenhouse that does the harm. I 

 have found that a fairly strong dose in 

 the house ten minutes is more effective 

 than a weaker one in all night. The 

 following directions will serve for a 

 small house, say, 12 feet long, eight feet 

 wide and about seven feet high at the 

 ridge, either a span or lean-to roof : 



Close the house tight all but the door. 

 Place an earthenware jar or basin in the 

 centre of the floor, with a pint of water 

 in it. Pour in the jar a quarter of a 

 pint of sulphuric acid. Next, place one 

 ounce of cyanide of potassium in a 

 piece of tissue paper, and, when all is 

 read}', drop it into the acid. Get out 

 quickly and lock the house. Stuff 



The A.inate\ir*s GreenKovise 



If Easter hlies are pot-bound and in 

 healthy condition, let them have 60 de- 

 grees of heat. This may be increased 

 five degrees or so as the time goes by. 

 They will stand considerable forcing 



Begonia Velvetina 



Grown by Mr. A. Alexander, Hamilton, Ont., and was 



in bloom three months. 



now. Be careful to fumigate and water 

 carefully. 



Geraniums should be pinched at the 

 joint next to the one that produces a 

 flower. Pinching at the same joint sel- 

 dom results in good growth. 



Putting plants into too large pots is a 

 mistake often made by flower lovers 

 when potting or re-potting plants in 

 winter time. Re-pot plants at this 

 season only when absolutely necessary. 

 The spring is the best time. If potted 

 now, use about an inch in depth of broken 



Drawing of Proposed New Horticultuial Building or Canadian National Exhibition 

 A cut illustrating the ground-floor plan of this building probably will be published in the next issue of The Canadian Horticulturist 



with the Nic(jteen ; or, in the case of 

 fohage plants becoming infested, by 

 constant spraying with cold water, 

 especially on the under side of the leaves. 

 White and black thrips also can be 

 got rid of by spraying with Nicoteen. 

 When these pests appear on plants in 

 flower, the Nicoteen can be sprayed on 

 the hot pipes after the house is closed for 

 the night. 



paper around the crevices of the door. 

 Let the gas remain about 15 minutes, 

 then open the door. Allow it to remain 

 open for about half an hour before you 

 go in. By that time all danger will be 

 over. Hydro-cyanic acid gas is poison- 

 ous and must be handled with care. 

 These directions can be followed without 

 danger to person and with effect in 

 controlling the insect. 



61 



flower pots or cinders in the bottom of 

 the pot for drainage. Good drainage 

 often obviates and prevents damage 

 from over-watering plants in winter. 



A few gloxinia tubers should be started 

 for midsummer blooming. Place them 

 in a mixture of leaf mould and satid, and 

 just a httle well-rotted manure. Glox 

 inias like a rather warm temperature 

 when growing, and a temperature of 60 



