THE INSECT 



bring it to the boiling point and add the 

 kerosene. Remove it from the stove and 

 agitate it forcibly while cooling. A Dover 

 egg-beater is one of the best things you can 

 use for this purpose. The soap and oil will 

 unite and form a jelly-like mass. Use one 

 part of this mixture to ten parts water. The 

 emulsion will readily unite with water, if well 

 stirred for a minute or two before using. 

 Apply this to the plant in a spray, using it 

 liberally, or wash the plant with it, using a 

 soft cloth or brush. After the first applica- 

 tion has had a chance to soak in among the 

 colonies of scale, go over the plant with a 

 rather stiff bristle-brush and forcibly remove 

 every creature that has loosened its hold, 

 under the influence of its recent bath. Fre- 

 quent use of the kerosene emulsion will pre- 

 vent scale from forming in large quantities. 

 The woolly aphis, or mealy-bug, is a most 

 disgusting looking creature when seen out- 

 side the cottony envelope in which he shuts 

 himself. It is not often that he emerges from 

 it, during the day, therefore it is generally 

 supposed that the insect and its covering are 

 part and parcel of each other. Such is not 

 the case, however. The woolly or cottony 



92 



