688 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Red Spider is often a virulent pest ; 

 the tiny spider-like insect is encouraged 

 by want of moisture, and it is difficult to 

 eradicate. Sulphur painted on the pipes, 

 as already mentioned, is effective for mild 

 attacks, or the sulphur may be dusted or 

 blown on the parts infested with the pest. 

 Ordinary fumigating methods are scarcely 

 of any avail. Salt water is effective. 



Mealy Bug. Sometimes a white, mealy 

 insect, about T V inch long and oval in 

 shape, is found on plants in a hothouse. 

 This is the mealy bug, a pest that sucks 

 the sap from plants and does much harm. 

 Fumigation, when repeated, is good prac- 

 tice. A drop of methylated spirits on the 

 tip of a wire kills each pest and forms a 

 penetrating liquid for dropping into crevices 

 and corners where they live. Insecticides 

 of the usual kind are not always effective 

 for killing this bug, but Abol and the 

 paraffin emulsion already mentioned will 

 prove of great assistance in keeping down 

 their numbers. Gishurst Compound should 

 be used for winter work on the amateur's 

 vine. Tiny scales or shells may be noticed 



on the stems of plants or even on the 

 foliage. 



Scale insects will succumb to Bordeaux 

 Mixture, Gishurst Compound, or fir tree 

 oil, but paraffin emulsion and a stiff brush 

 will work wonders where it can be used. 

 A stiff brush is in itself useful for removing 

 them. Repetition is necessary for every 

 insect pest, because eggs which have been 

 deposited about the house hatch out and 

 so bring new broods for further attack ; 

 none of the fumigants will remove the 

 vitality of these eggs, but certain liquid 

 insecticides do so. 



All composts used in the hothouse must 

 be sterilised. If not, the gardener must 

 look for new pests being introduced, and 

 it is most pleasant to work where pests are 

 few. Good ventilation should also be prac- 

 tised, and the place must be kept from 

 becoming too dry, or red spider and a very 

 tiny insect called thrips will spoil the 

 appearance of every flower. Uniformity of 

 conditions, good cultural practice, and regu- 

 lar attention will ensure immunity from 

 virulent attacks. 



Making a Hotbed. Amateurs not for- 

 tunate enough to possess a heated greenhouse 

 will find a hotbed most useful for raising 

 plants from seeds for flower-beds and borders 

 and striking cuttings of many hardy and 

 half-hardy plants. Dahlia cuttings, for ex- 

 ample, form roots readily on a hotbed. This 

 should not be made up with fresh manure. A 

 much better heat is obtained if the heap is 

 turned over several times at intervals of 

 twenty-four hours. If possible, have a fair 

 amount of straw in the manure, and mix with 

 it an equal quantity of freshly gathered 

 leaves. Thoroughly mix together, and water 

 well if the leaves or straw are at all dry. 

 Build the bed at least 18 inches longer than 

 the frame and tread firmly, and make it not 

 less than 2 feet deep. When the heap has 

 done its duty as a hotbed, it will make 

 splendid manure for the garden, either to dig 

 in the ground or as a surface mulching. 



Cacti for Amateurs. The various kinds 

 of Cactus are well adapted for garden lovers 

 who have little spare time. Anyone who owns 



a small greenhouse can grow a considerable 

 number of the smaller kinds, while very 

 good results are often obtained in the sunny 

 window of a dwelling room. Their peculiar 

 virtue lies in the fact that they are not easily 

 injured by a little neglect. With such as 

 ferns and ordinary soft-wooded greenhouse 

 plants the failure to provide water or shade 

 at the proper time may mean the disfigure- 

 ment or death of the plant, whereas the 

 Cacti revel in the brightest sunshine, and 

 are not injured if the soil becomes quite dry 

 sometimes. In fact, many may be left 

 entirely without water during the winter 

 months. Given a light and sunny green- 

 house and a minimum winter temperature of 

 from 43 to 45, a wide selection of kinds, 

 including Cereus, Opuntia, Echinocactus, the 

 gorgeous Phyllocactus, &c., may be grown. 

 Then there are other plants from dry, arid 

 regions, such as Cotyledon, Agave, Aloe, 

 Euphorbia, Gasteria, and Sempervivum, 

 which may be grown under the same con- 

 ditions and treatment. 



