88 GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



out a smoke that is quickly fatal to the " green fly." To 

 thoroughly prevent the least appearance of this insect, 

 the greenhouse must be fumigated every four or five 

 days. We fumigate all our greenhouses twice each week 

 during the winter, and dust the leaves with tobacco 

 dust after syringing in summer ; our rule being that an 

 aphis must never be seen upon any plant in the houses. 

 If the greenhouse is attached to the dwelling, so that 

 the 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. This will not only ef- 

 fectually destroy the green fly, but will keep in check 

 many other insects that infest plants. Where only a few 

 plants are kept in rooms, the easiest way is to dip the 

 plants entirely in the tobacco water, moving them up 

 and down in the liquid, to wash the insects off if they 

 have a firm hold. 



The "red spider" is another pest to winter-blooming 

 plants, even worse than the aphis, and wherever it is seen 

 you maybe 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 greenhouse is copious syringings with 

 water; but where only a few plants are grown in the house 

 it is best to go over the leaves, especially on the under 

 side, with a wet sponge or a brush. The red spider is so 

 minute that it is hardly distinguishable by the naked eye, 

 but its destructive effects are quickly perceivable, as the 

 leaves upon which it works soon become brown, and if 

 the leaves are closely examined, particularly the under 

 sido, the minute insect will be seen in great numbers. 



Another troublesome insect among plants that are 



