60 orchid-gkower's manual. 



will kill this pest, and whei-ever it is seen it must be washed off with a 

 sponge to prevent its increase. ■ 



The Brown Scale, the White Scale, and the Mealy-bug may be 

 kept under by frequently sponging the leaves and bulbs with water. 

 The White Scale is very troublesome if not looked after. A little soft 

 soap mixed with water, and rubbed over the leaves and bulbs, is a good 

 thing to destroy this kind of scale ; it should remain on for a day, and 

 then be washed off, when all the-insects will be destroyed. Care should, 

 however, be taken not to use it too strong. Gattleyas are very subject 

 to this pest. The following is another recipe for. destroying it : To on© 

 gallon of rain water add eight ounces of soft soap, one ounce of tobacco,, 

 and three table-spoonfuls of spirits of turpentine ; stir well together, and 

 leave the mixture for forty-eight hours ; then strain it through a cloth,- 

 when it will be ready for use. It is necessary to rub the plants over, 

 two or three times if they are much infested, but once will be sufficient 

 in most cases. Any portion of the mixture remaining after the- plants 

 are washed should be put into a bottle, and reserved for. future. use> 

 This recipe is also a cure for Thrips on azaleas or other plants. The 

 ingredients as above noted should be mixed in a large tub, and the 

 plants dipped in it ; this will speedily clear them of the pest. It, will 

 be seen, therefore, that it is useful to others as well as Orchid growers, 

 and will prove a great saving of labour for those who grow large plants 

 for exhibition, or for those who have a quantity of small plants to clear 

 of siich pests. 



The Mealy-bug must be kept away by constantly watching for it 

 and frequently cleansing the plants. Whenever a plant is purchased 

 that is infested with it, take care to cleanse it thoroughly before placing 

 it in the- stove or Orchid house. In a word, never allow insects to get 

 the upper hand, or you will not long continue to grow plants to 

 perfection, for all such pests are as poison to plants — robbing them of 

 their vigour, and when they have lost that there is not much hope of 

 them. There are more plants lost through uncleanliness than from any 

 other cause. 



Cattleya Fly. One of the new insec:ts we have now to battle with 

 is a kind of fly which attacks, the Lcelias. and Gattleyas. A maggot 

 appears at the base of the young growths, and may easily be perceived 

 by those.who have- once had their attention directed towards it, for the 



