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HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



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tobacco smoke would find its way into the 

 rooms, recourse may be had to another 

 remedy : take the same waste tobacco stems 

 and steep them in water until the liquid is of 

 the color of strong tea. With this water 

 syringe the plants freely twice a week. 

 Another plan is to sprinkle the leaves with 

 water and then shake snuff or tobacco dust 

 over them. 



The "Bed Spider" is another pest to 

 winter-blooming plants, even worse than the 

 Aphis, and wherever it is seen you may be 

 certain that the atmosphere has been too dry, 

 and very likely the temperature too hot, as it 

 is rarely found in a cool, damp atmosphere. 

 The treatment for this insect in the green- 

 house is copious syringings with water ; but 

 where only a few plants are grown in the 

 house it is best to go over the leaves, especi- 

 ally on the under side, with a wet sponge or a 

 brush. When the plants are not too large to 

 handle easily, if they are dipped into water at 

 a temperature of 140 degrees, they will be im- 

 mediately cleared of all their insect enemies, 

 not only without the least danger to the most 

 tender foliage, but, as the leaves get a good 

 cleansing, with manifest advantage to their 

 well-being. The Ked Spider is so minute that 

 it is hardly distinguishable by the naked eye, 

 but its destructive effects are quickly per- 

 ceivable, as the leaves upon which it works 

 soon become brown, and if they are closely ex- 

 amined, particularly the under side, the minute 

 insect will be seen in great numbers. 



Another troublesome insect among plants 

 that are grown in a high temperature is the 

 "Mealy Bug." The insect is flat, and whit- 

 ish brown, usually nestling at the axils of the 

 leaves, where it is covered with a white powder, 

 making it easily distinguishable. This is one 

 of the most annoying of all insects that attack 

 plants, and until a few years ago no certain 

 remedy was known ; but we have now in " Fir 

 Tree Oil," mixed in the proportion of one pint 

 to ten gallons of water, and syringed on once 

 a week, a certain remedy against mealy bug, 

 scale, red spider, and, in fact, nearly all insect 

 life. The use of it must be continued once 

 each week, or the remedy will not be effec- 

 tual. Where only a few plants are grown the 

 same remedy can be applied with a soft brush 

 or sponge on the leaves. (See Insecticides.) 



In plant growing in pots, nothing indicates 

 so much the skill and knowledge of the cultiva- 

 tor as handsome, healthy plants in small sized 

 pots ; amateur's conservatories are sometimes 

 more conspicuous for the show of red flower 

 pots than for green leaves and gay flowers. 

 There is no set time for repotting soft-wooded 

 plants, as Geraniums, Fuchsias, Coleus, etc. 

 many need changing every two or three 

 months, while hard-wooded plants, such as 

 Camellias, Azaleas, etc., may probably need it 

 but once every year or once every two or 

 three years. Hard wooded plants are greatly 

 benefited by giving them a top dressing of 

 fresh earth mixed with a little bone-dust two 

 or three times a year. Amateurs invariably 

 overpot their plants. In repotting, many 

 plants will be found to have but few roots ; 

 these require a portion of the ball removed 

 place them in smaller pots, encourage them 

 to make new roots, and in a short time 

 they will have fine, healthy tops. The proper 

 way for potting plants is, after they have 



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been given proper drainage, put in a little 

 soil (care being taken to have the plant a 

 little below the surface of the pot, sufficient 

 to allow for watering) ; place your plant in 

 the centre of the pot with one hand and with 

 the other heap up the soil loosely in the pot ; 

 give the pot a sharp rap, pressing the soil 

 with the thumb firmly around the plant. In 

 potting large plants, such as Camellias, Aza- 

 leas, etc., a flat stick must be used to firm the 

 soil around the plant ; otherwise it will not 

 be packed as firmly around the edges as is 

 essential for good results. (See Potting.) 



The rapid growth of plants of every kind, 

 when the roots are confined in a small pot, 

 soon exhausts the soil, and it is often 

 necessary to apply manure in a liquid 

 state to keep the plant in good condition. As 

 a general thing, we use none in our own 

 practice, preferring to shift the plants into 

 fresh soil at the proper time. When, how- 

 ever, it is inconvenient to shift winter-flower- 

 ing plants into larger pots, they will be great- 

 ly benefited by stirring up the soil on the 

 surface of the pots to the depth of an inch or 

 so, or down to where the young roots appear, 

 replacing it by rich, fresh soil to which one- 

 twentieth of bone-dust has been added. Guano 

 or other concentrated manures may also be 

 advantageously applied in a liquid form, but 

 the safest and best of all liquid manures is 

 that made from cow-dung, it will never hurt 

 the most tender plants ; like all other liquid 

 manures it should only be applied when the 

 pot is well filled with roots, and the soil is 

 moderately dry. (See Manures.) 

 Wintergreen. See Gaultheria and Pyrola. 



"Wintergreen Chickweed. See Trientalis Ameri- 

 cana. 



Wista'ria. Grape-Flower Vine. Named in 

 honor of Caspar Wistar, once Professor oi 

 Anatomy in the University of Pennsylvania. 

 Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



A small genus of hardy, deciduous plants, 

 unquestionably the most ornamental, hardy, 

 flowering climbers we possess. Their lovely 

 panicles of dark purple, light purple, and 

 pure white flowers, single and double, pro- 

 duced in the most wonderful profusion under 

 almost any circumstances, are altogether 

 without a rival. With one exception, they are 

 all natives of China and Japan. W. Sinensis 

 was introduced in 1818, and for many years 

 was grown as a green-house plant, until it 

 was accidentally found to fee hardy. In 1844, 

 W. Sinensis alba, a variety with pure white 

 flowers, was originated. A variety with double 

 flowers was introduced from Japan, its native 

 country, in 1869, by Francis Parkman, of Bos- 

 ton. The flowers of this species are quite 

 fragrant, and very beautiful. It is still quite 

 rare. There are several other species or 

 varieties from the same countries, all merito- 

 rious. W. magnifica is a very fine late-flowering 

 variety with purple flowers. The Japan Wis- 

 tarias are much finer than the Chinese. A few 

 years since Mr. Thomas Hogg sent home from 

 Japan a very choice collection, and among 

 them W. Japonica, with purple flowers, W. 

 Japonica alba, with white flowers, W. longi- 

 racemosa, purple, with panicles exceeding 

 thirty inches in length, also a double variety 

 of this, with fragrant flowers. In addition to 

 these, he sent a species with glossy leaves 



