THE INDOOR GARDEN 89 



for in one stage in their metamorphosis, they 

 have wings. The green colored species pre- 

 vails upon the indoor plants. One remedy for 

 plants bothered by aphids is to fumigate them 

 with the smoke of burning tobacco. Any one 

 can make a fumigator with an old barrel, plac- 

 ing under it a tripod for the plant to rest upon, 

 and under that a pan with the burning tobacco. 

 Of course the infected plant must not be left 

 long in the fumigator, or it would have a speed- 

 ier end than even its aphid enemy could bring 

 it to. Before fimiigating, be sure the leaves 

 of the plant are dry. Prepared tobacco paper 

 for fumigating purposes may be obtained from 

 almost any dealer in garden supplies. Do not, 

 as a rule, fumigate plants that are in blossom ; 

 their insect enemies should not have been per- 

 mitted to remain so long upon them. You 

 may find it necessary to give house plants sev- 

 eral fumigations, but do not overdo the mat- 

 ter. The morning after the plant has been 

 fumigated, carefully syringe its leaves with 

 tepid rain-water. The green aphid is fre- 

 quently the main enemy of indoor ferns, par- 

 ticularly the lovely Pteris adiantoides. 



The mealy bug appears on houseplants in 



