f 



260 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [Jan'y. 



HfcS&P' ^5im 



Un the pot should never appear wet, unless immediately after the appli- r*\ 

 l " cation of the water; it should not, on the other hand, appear quite dry, cjj 

 but in an intermediate state. This is the most important point for the ^ 

 attention of the amateur, the experienced gardener needs only to look 

 at the surface of the soil to tell if the conditions are complied with to 

 ensure its healthy state. This accuracy of observation of course is 

 the result of practice, and can be attained by any who attend to the 

 matter carefully. To prevent the soil having a dry appearance is a 

 matter of importance with many, they therefore water continually at 

 certain intervals; but in this course they commit a great error. The re- 

 sult is, that the soil becomes sodden and sour, and the roots perish. — 

 Others, to avoid this evil which they have been guarded against, run 

 into the opposite extreme — not affording sufficient moisture to preserve 

 the life of the plant. If anything, however, seems to be the matter 

 with the plant, a dose ot water is the common remedy applied, with 

 the utmost faith in its restorative powers. This is not to be wondered 

 at, when it is remarked how soon a plant wilting for want of water 

 will be invigorated by an abundant supply. But dosing a sickly plant 

 with water, is like a physician crowding the stomach of his patient 

 with medicines which even the strongest stomach could scarcely bear. 

 This over-supply of water will manifest itself in the falling off of the 

 leaves after their having turned yellow and sickly. Almost a similar 

 result follows excessive drought, the leaves in the latter case, howev- 

 er, present a shrivelled appearance before their fall ; the consequence 

 in each case is the loss of the leaves, on which depend the health and 

 existence of the plant. Excessive dryness is at once indicated by the 

 flabby appearance of the leaves, and if not too long in this state may 

 be restored in a few minutes by a copious supply of water. The re- 

 sidue of water which escapes from the pot should be poured out of the 

 saucer, as the plant would absorb it again by capillary attraction. — 

 The water used should always be of an equal temperature with the 

 atmosphere in which the plant is growing, or nearly so, as excessively 

 cold water chills the roots; it should be allowed to remain in the room 

 for some time, or a little warm water added to it. An unclean state 

 of the leaves of the plant may be caused either by insects, such as 

 scale, thrip, mealy bugs, aphis, or green fly, red spider, &c, or by ac- 

 cumulated dust. Various methods are recommended for the removal 

 of the former ; scale may be removed by washing with soap suds, or 

 by covering the leaves and stems affected with a Ihick coating of soap 

 which, when it dries, peels off, taking the scale with it; thrip is re- 

 moved by a small brush ; green fly, by enveloping the plant in fumes 

 of tobacco smoke, by placing the plant in a bell glass and burning 

 some tobacco in it, or by syringing with tobacco water, or by syring- h 



■^ ing the plant first, and then sprinkling it with snuff. The green fly G\ 



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