252 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [Dec'k. 



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[tn doses of this kind will keep the spicier "pretty tight." The mealy bug X 

 2v is readily killed by hydro-sulphate of lime ; this is made by putting W 

 ' sulphur and unslacked lime together, mixing with water, and stirring. \ 

 For use, a tea-cupful may be put to four gallons of water, to syringe 

 over the plants. Scale are killed readily by strong soapsuds, or a weak 

 solution of whale oil soap. Thrip and aphides by the well known 

 application oi tobacco smoke. Hyacinths that are desired to flower 

 early, and have been plunged out ol doors, when brought in should 

 be placed for some days in the coolest and darkest part of the house, 

 and receive very little water. All these things to be increased gra- 

 dually, to avoid injurious checks. 



In the Greenhouse, attend to what has been said in this journal on 

 ventilation; it is one of the most important subjects connected with 

 plant growing, and ought to be thoroughly understood. When plants 

 are not growing and it is desirable to rest them, they require no air; 

 if the temperature rise higher than is desirable, open the top sashes or 

 ventilators; as the heated air escapes the cold air will find its way in 

 somehow to take its place. Be very cautious about opening side ven- 

 tilators ; the sudden rush of air by them often gives the plants a check 

 from which they seldom soon recover; if the air admitted is not even 

 near the degree of cold the plant will bear, a sudden change is injuri- 

 ous. A house suddenly lowered in its temperature but six or eight 

 degrees, will receive more injury than a gradual fluctuation of twenty 

 or thirty. Many a house of yellow, sickly-looking, stunted plants, 

 supposed to have been brought to that condition by bad drainage and 

 over-watering, owe their " woes, and wrongs, and ills," to sudden 

 checks caused by injudicious admission of draughts through side ven- 

 tilators. 



Flower Garden. — Much has been said on the protection of half-hardy 

 trees from the frost. In many cases all that is necessary is to shade 

 them from the sun; frost itself is not so injurious to vegetable structures 

 as is the sun suddenly thawing it. The true reason of this is not right- 

 ly understood : — the latest idea is, that the sap on being expanded by 

 the frost is forced into the air chambers, when the sun by its warmth, 

 expands the air and forces it in the cells — thus, when the whole is 

 thawed, causing different agents in processes to change places, pro- 

 ducing disruption of tissue and engendering decay. This will show 

 the utility of even very slight protection to favorite tender things. 



The Vegetable Garden has still some attractions. Seakale is a tine 

 dish when blanched ; where leaves are abundant to cover them with, 

 it is "clever." In England they have "seakale pots" — here we can 

 nail old boards together for "pots" to place over them, about eighteen 

 inches deep; place these over the crowns of the roots, and put a 

 loose piece of board over the top of the box, then cover ail with 

 the leaves; it will be ready for use in about two months. Spinach 

 and Lettuce may be protected by sprinkliug light litter sparingly 

 over them. Parsley ought to have a small frame over it if desired 

 in winter, or a few roots carefully taken up, planted in boxes, and 

 placed in a cool greehouse. 



i Ice House. Where there is a gardener kept this is under his super- 



\ intendence. In giving directions for this department, we cannot do 

 /R, better than explain the principles on which the preservation of ice 

 (Jk depends. The main thing of course is, to keep the temperature of ( 



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