134 HOME FLORICULTURE 



Let them have all the air possible during the 

 growing season. Shower them all over daily. If the 

 aphis attacks them, apply an infusion of fir-tree oil 

 soap. See that it reaches every part of the plant. 

 W^ater used daily, in liberal quantities, all over the 

 plants, will prevent the red spider from doing harm. 

 If the plants are not showered frequently, this pest 

 will be pretty sure to harm them. If you notice that 

 the leaves are turning yellow, you may be sure that 

 the red spider is at work on them, or that the roots 

 are too dry. Examine the plant carefully, and give 

 the treatment necessary to remedy the existing evil. 



This is one of the most tractable of all plants 

 It can be trained as a tree, or allowed to grow in 

 bush form. If the tree shape is preferred, keep all 

 branches from forming while the plant is young, and 

 encourage the production of a straight stalk to the 

 hight of two, three or four feet — or whatever hight 

 you want the head of the tree to be. Then nip off the 

 top. Branches will start below, but remove all except 

 those near the top of the stalk. AVhen these have 

 grown to be four or five inches long, nip their ends 

 off. This will force them to send out branches. This 

 second nipping will give a good foundation for the 

 head of the tree, as a general thing. If it does not, 

 keep on with the nipping process until you have as 

 many branches as you think are needed. After this, 

 let the branches lengthen at will. Plants trained in 

 this manner should have a support for their main stalk, 

 as they will be top-heavv, and thev are easily broken 

 off by a sudden movement of their pot, or a strong 

 wind. To grow the plant in shrubby form, it is only 

 necessary to pinch off the top of the plant when not 

 more than five or six inches high. Branches will start 

 below, and these should all be allowed to grow. 



