PLANTS IN THE PARLOR. vard 
do this, a piece of pasteboard should be made to cover 
the top of the pot, cutting a side slit for the stem; then, 
holding the hand over the pasteboard, the pot may be in- 
verted without disturbing the mould, and, by the immer- 
sion, the foliage will be effectually freed from the insect. 
The red spider may be detected by examining the 
leaves, which look yellow and sickly ; but they are so small 
it will require good eyes to see them. This minute, ugly 
customer is not so easily got rid of as the green fly. Plants 
from neglected green-houses are often infested with it. 
The most effectual way of destroying this insect is to give 
the plants repeated syringing with sulphur and water, or a 
solution of whale-oil soap water. The plants can be taken 
out of doors in a mild day, and the operation performed 
upon them, remembering that it is important to syringe 
the under side of the leaf as well as the upper side, as 
the red spider will be found in greater abundance there. 
There is another insect more difficult to get rid of than 
either of those named. It is the mealy bug, which may 
be found in the axils of the leaves, and on the stems of 
Oranges, Camellias, Heaths, etc. It looks like little 
specks of cotton; but, upon picking it off, a disagreeable, 
ugly-looking insect will be found imbedded in this glu- 
tinous, cottony substance. It is sometimes very trouble- 
some in graperies, and requires much care to get rid of it. 
It is only to be destroyed by industriously picking it off. 
PLANTS SUITABLE FOR PARLOR CULTURE. 
Tue parlor can be made very gay, during the month 
of November and part of December, by a choice collec- 
tion of Chrysanthemums. If they are kept out of the mid- 
day sun, their beauty will be greatly prolonged. 
Some of the new varieties of Pompone, or Button 
Chrysanthemums, are very beautiful, and add much in- 
terest to a collection. One dozen each of the best large 
