Book IT. 



WOODY BARK-STOVE PLANTS. 



925 



6592. In funi/ng the plant ca rrf ulti/ out of tfs pot, objsrve if the roots have perforated it in any part, 

 scras to renaer u Tmpossible to part them withiout breaking the one, or lacerating the other; in which 

 case iireter the loriner as the shghtest damage : nsiwever, wlien the ball of roots is divested of its pot, 

 let the br.'ken tile^, or v.hatever substance lri:l^■ have cccn used as draining, ho carefully picked out 

 without leiiMiL" on the roots that mav have grov/n amongst tliem : also any caked or mossy substance on 

 thesi;r; .jj, '■, :,.ch will come ca^ilv (,tr with "the fingers. Then proceed to loosen the earth and matted 

 roots, i ; atlmg tnem on the tule ot tne ball with the hand ; or otherwise, by pressing it so as to 



open or the'earth v.ituout crackm? the roots; shake off any loose earth, and having a proper 



sized 1 1 1 1 1 ut 11 u n ( t th Mi e-h mould sufficient to raise the crown of the roots to 

 abou 1 t L 1 11 ( 1 ht I t u loh -et the plant ; and add more earth, lightly sliaking it 



in a u t L 1l le\\iKleLe;i -^u mcd i ati.l\ light, but not so as to render it hard in the least 



degree, nor bv anv means using a stick tor this purpose, another never-failing attendant on the former 

 practice, bv which the roots are extremelv liable to be torn or bruised ; add mould sutiicient to raise the 

 surface level with the rim, as it will seitie to a proper depth with watering, and smooth the whole off 

 neatly with the hand. 



6693. Two or tnree asusranrs will be found necessarv. where there is much of this V\-ork to be done; 

 one of those should be empioved m supulvinG- nots and other necessaries; tlie others in washing and 

 cleaning from insects. cVc. anv ular.ts tnat mav hanpen to sta'nd m need before shifted ; and in tying them 

 up properly t tl t k 1 ould b 1 a 1 at least once a-year, to hot-house plants 

 in particular : as tne oid ones -^-erv otten haruor more or less ot the several pestiferous insects which infest 

 these departments. Tnis oone. let the plants be set on a level spot together, and moderately watered 

 with a tine-rose pot. held at a distance above their tops so as to give the leaves a good rinsing; but 

 observe to give no more water than is suincient to settle the iresh mould to the roots, and by no means 

 to slush or'give the surtace that ruadied aDpearance. so verv disagreeable to be observed in departments 

 where neatness should be tlie unuorrn and leading unnciple. Having thus iiiiished the first division, 

 let them be immediatelv taken to the stove, to be set on the fresh-turned tan tor the present, and 

 those that remained tnere. taken to the shed to be treated and shifted in the same manner as the others. 



6694. JV/ien th<: v:Tioic arc s/;n:c('. tncv mav be partially ulunged for a few days ; setting the pot about 

 half its depth looselv into the ran. to avciici the danger that attends too violent a heat arising in the pit; 

 which is freq tl r c n h tur led or augmented. However, there must be 

 a pretty brisk tire-heat kent up m tne house, until the plants recover from their inactive state, the un- 

 avoidable consequence oi their roots beiue so recently aisturbed. They will be much benefited at this 

 time by a moderate use ot the hand-svrinse. m the raornine before the bun has begun to act upon them 

 with force; also bv raisine a stronsr steam in tne house, to be done by throwing water on the tops 

 and sides of the warm rlues. Lut wnen tliev are irseiv treated in this manner, tliey require but little 

 from the water pot a o e t ] ts in general, and at no time is it more 

 particularly so th 1 I a Le 1 H e -er this must unavoidably depend on the 

 judgment of him m whose care tnev are Diaced : as some ot them will require considerably more than 

 others. In a few aavs. when tne oanser ot a violent heaMs over, the plants may be plunged neatly in the 

 tan up to the rim : but ooserve that it is not leit scattered on the surface of the pots, as it would give 

 the work an extremelv slovenlv aonearance : a tev,- inches ot clean sawdust laid over the tan, gives 

 a clean and neat appearance, which, m most srardens. is a particularly essential part of the curator's 

 conduct. All the plants whicn rcnuire the aid ot tan-heat, being properly plunged, and th.e remaining 

 ones regulated on the ditterent benches or sheives : let the place be well cleaned out, wlien little more will 

 be necessary for a few iveeks than waterins? wnen requisite, squirting, steaming, and attention to the 

 degree of heat necessar\' tol3ekept m the house at this season. This should in general be about sixty 

 degrees. If it is Kept niucii lower, it wiu consiaeraoiy retara tne plants in recovering their vigor; and 

 if many degrees higher, the free-growing kinds will soon over-top, and materially injure the weak and 

 more tardy sorts unless prevented ; besides themselves becoming unsightly, the consequence of being 

 drawn, or forced into long weak ungainly stems. 



6695. Insects. As the heat increases with the advancing season, the different species 

 of insects to which these departments are liable, will multiply incredibly. Those which 

 seem to make the greatest havoc amongst plants in the hot-house, are, the green fly, the 

 thrips, the mealy white bug, the great scaly bug, the small scale, or the pine-bug, and 

 tlie red spider, which, although the smallest, is by far the most destructive of any of the 

 species that exist in these departments. 



6696. For the f.y and thrips, there is no process which seems to take so much effect on them, as a 

 strong fumigation of tobacco ; repeated twice or thrice, according to tlie strength the insects may have 

 attained. 



6697. For the bugs, there is none of the several expensive methods mentioned in different authors so 

 effectual, as simply picking them off;_this may be said to be tedious, but then it has surety to plead in 

 its behalf; besides, that the plants a're in no manner distigured by the operation ; but unless regularity 

 be observed in looking for them, examining plant by plant, and leaf by leaf, from top to bottom, and 

 also any incisions or cracks that may be in the bark of the stem, See. there will be a constant and tiresome 

 employment ; on the contrary, if regularly done, one operation will be of more service than five, if ex- 

 ecuted m a careless inattentive manner. As each individual plant is picked, it should be carefully 

 washed with a strong lixivium of soft soap and water, which will have a powerful effect on their eggs, 

 which are in general sufficiently small to elude the eye, or perhaps so situated within the young buds 

 that they cannot be got at without materially injuring the future growth ; the wash will, however, 

 penetrate into these secret holds, and in general be fully adequate to their destruction. 



6d9S. men the plants are out of the house in su/n!?ier, every part of them should be well washed with 

 strong soap-suds, in which a little of the sam.e tobacco, as used for fumigating, has been infused ; in par- 

 ticular, all the joints of the wood-work, and also whatever nail-holes or other crevices may happen to be 

 therein ; as in these places some of the species, more especially the white mealy bug, is much inclined 

 to secrete itself for breeding. This operation will, however, if performed in spring and autumn, be a 

 great means of their extinction, and will tend in a great degree to check the multiplication of the 

 others. 



6699. TJie red spider, the last and most pernicious of the species mentioned, is to be overcome 

 neither by fumigation nor picking ; but by the free but well directed use of common water ; either by 

 steam or with the hand-syringe. The steam, by creating a fine dew in the house, prevents the insect 

 from extending its slender web from leaf to leaf, and thus checks its progress ; while the sjTinge, by su- 

 perior force, breaks the Ugaments of those already made, and in most instances washes the insects to the 

 ground; where, although it may recover its fall for the first or second application, it is in the end sure 

 to perish. They will sometimes, however, elude the greatest dihgence, for a while, bv collecting under 

 large horizontal leaves, which serve them as citadels against the attacks of the water; but here they 

 wiU soon betray themselves, by extracting the fluid substance of the leaf for their support, in consequence 

 of which it loses its verdure and becomes conspicuous; this, when fomid, should be picked off, and taken 

 out of the house immediately ; for if left anywhere among the plants they will in a little time establish 

 themselves on others. If they happen to be discovered before the leaf has lost its beauty, they mav be 

 rubbed off with the hand on a sheet of paper, and expelled the premises. If at any time the quantity 



