G2 ORCHID-GROWERS MANUAL. 



incur the expenditure if the prize to. be competed for does not at least 

 cover the expense — neither is it reasonable of any Society to expect 

 that they should do so. 



INSECTS AND OTHER ENEMIES. 



ORCHIDS have always been liable to be injured by many sorts of 

 Insects, such as Red Spider, Thrips, Mealy Bug, White and Brown 

 Scale, Cockroaches, and Ants ; and also by Woodlice, Helix alUaria (a 

 small kind of Snail), and a few closely allied species, and slugs ; but they 

 have some friends of the animal kingdom, and amongst them we would 

 mention Green Frogs. We have found Green Frogs very useful in 

 Orchid houses, and we believe many growers now employ them. They 

 are very agile in their movements, and it is surprising to see the rapidity 

 with which they move from plant to plant without causing the slightest 

 injury. The quantity of insects they eat is astonishing, especially young 

 Cockroaches and Woodlice, which are generally plentiful wherever 

 Orchids are grown. 



The Insects injurious to Orchids are, unfortunately, becoming more 

 numerous than they formerly were. Then we had only those already 

 mentioned to contend with. Now, however, we hear of new Insects, 

 coming in with new Orchids. This is not at all surprising, as Orchids 

 are being brought home from fresh localities, and naturally bring the 

 different species of Insects infesting them along with them, and these are 

 introduced with the imported plants amongst which they harbour. 

 Some of them prove to be terrible pests, feeding upon such of the plants 

 as suit their taste. They should therefore be well looked after, and if 

 possible destroyed before the plants are allowed to enter our houses. 

 We cannot be too particular in this, for in it lies one of the chief elements 

 of success : if these pests are not got rid of, they will in time destroy the 

 foliage, besides giving a most unsightly appearance to the plant, which 

 is very objectionable ; the flowers, moreover, will be destroyed by these 

 marauders, which is most annoying after all the care and expense 

 bestowed upon them. A striking instance we saw a short time since, in 

 several collections where Bend/rohium Phalceno^sis was grown in con- 

 siderable numbers; a small Beetle which feeds upon the interior of the 



