Insects : their Prevention and Cure. 63 



into your hand, or anywhere where you can destroy 

 them. 



Tobacco smoke is the surest and best thing to kill 

 them. If you have a window greenhouse you can 

 easily manage this by shutting it close after sun- 

 down and filling it with tobacco smoke. All plants in 

 bloom that have no fly on them should first be removed 

 not to let the smoke damage their bloom. For the 

 operation you will need a tin canister with several 

 holes punched through the bottom, a handful of tobacco 

 paper, and a red hot cinder. You will always be able 

 to get an old canister. Tobacco paper you can purchase 

 at one shilling and sixpence per pound, from any 

 nursery-man or seedsman. Half a pound will do for 

 several applications. Tease out the paper and put a 

 small handful above the red cinder in the canister, and 

 place it inside the greenhouse on the edges of two 

 small pots to cause a draught, and shut it up close. 

 When the house is quite full so that you can hardly 

 see the plants, take out the canister quickly and keep 

 the greenhouse shut for nearly half an hour; then 

 open it and let out the smoke and the deed is done. 

 After the smoke is all out take the plants to the door 

 and give them a good syringing to remove the dead 

 and dying insects. Take care not to overdo it in 

 smoking plants, as you might burn them ; better do it 

 moderately and repeat it than overdo it once. 



If you have only one or two plants infested the best 

 plan is to have a large paper bag big enough to cover 

 the plant entirely and close enough down so that a 

 handful or two of soil may be put round the bottom to 



