246 Notes and Gleanings. 



To the Editors of " The Journal of Horticulture." 



Heating Wardian Cases. — I have used for several years a Wardian case 

 constructed on the plan given in Rand's " Flowers for the Parlor and Garden," 

 p. 265, except that the ends are of wood. The dimensions are two feet by four : 

 the top is raised by hinges. I keep my plants, without any heat in the case, in 

 a room at a low temperature. Last spring, a gentleman of our city invented a 

 heating apparatus, much more simple, and less expensive, than the one described 

 on pp. 266 and 267 of the book before referred to. The heat is produced by 

 a small kerosene lamp, at a cost of twenty-eight cents a week. With it I prop- 

 agated all the plants, by cuttings and seeds, that I wanted for my garden. After 

 this work was done, I removed the heating apparatus, and put it aside for the 

 next spring ; and my Wardian case was again ready to receive my plants this 

 fall, to be again in the spring, in a few moments, converted into a Waltonian 

 case for propagating. It is surprising, the amount of work accomplished by 

 means of so small a case. Mrs. J. A. NewJiall. 



[The Editors would be pleased to have a description of the heating apparatus.] 



Mealy-Bug. — In a recent number of the Journal we read, "We know of 

 no means of destroying the mealy-bug, except constant washing with soap or 

 glue-water ; and that will only keep the pest under a little." 



Now, we will tell your readers what will kill mealy-bug, — kerosene. The 

 least possible touch of kerosene, and mealy-bug never moves again. 



" But," say your readers, '' it will kill my plants too." Not a bit of it, if you will 

 use a little thought. In the first place, as a general yxxIq, fully-developed fo\\3.gQ of 

 almost all things grown under glass is not injured with its application ; but soft, 

 very sappy, green, tender leaves, when in a growing state, are injured if ih& kero- 

 sene be used in a pure state. Now, to avoid this injury, it should be diluted with 

 water, say one part kerosene with two parts water ; and, if things acted on are 

 very delicate, use more water. Now, water and kerosene will not mix ! What is 

 to be done now ? Add soap to the kerosene frst, and then add the water, and 

 the combination will be complete. Kerosene pure on a bunch of green or ripe 

 grapes won't injure it nor its foliage when the fruit is ripe. It will not injure 

 full-grown camallia-leaves, and a host of other things we can mention, if you 

 know when to apply it ; and this we have hinted at, and leave the rest in the 

 hands of gardeners and amateurs. Whale-oil soap, perhaps, is the best to be 

 used as an alkali for the kerosene ingrediation, with water. Now, in plant-houses 

 which are much infested with mealy-bug, and when it is found necessary to paint 

 such, in place of using the ordinary linseed-oil, use kerosene with the lead. 

 Wash all wood-work with kerosene when an opportunity presents itself Vines 

 after pruning, washed with pure kerosene, are not injured, and the kerosene will 

 penetrate where other washes prove unable. Orange and lemon trees stand the 

 pure kerosene well when the growth is fully hardened. 



For Combrctmn piirpiirciiin, Bignonia vennsta, Slephanotiis foribiinda, and 

 a host of such plants, kerosene can be used pure with impunity. Now, we hope 

 your readers will not go blindly to work, and then lay the fault of injudicious 

 management on our shoulders. Jo/m Ellis. 



