172 FERNS IN THEIR HOMES AND OURS. 



color. We can soon rid ourselves of this pest 

 by sprinkling the plants, particularly the under 

 side of the fronds, with water, at evening, or in 

 the day-time during cloudy weather. 



Among larger pests are the snails. Both the 

 Helix, and the soft, shell-less, slimy Limax, some- 

 times called slug," quickly eat the new fronds 

 and young plants, and will cause much trouble in 

 a short time if suffered to increase. They are 

 found in both the in and out door fernery. They 

 may be detected, inside, by their shining trails 

 of slime where they have marched across the 

 glass or plant-stems. All of these snails are very 

 fond of apple or potato, and can be trapped by 

 leaving in their way slices of these or other juicy 

 morsels to attract them. If such baits are put at 

 evening under the moss or leaves, or on the green- 

 house shelves, the snails or other vermin which 

 have collected to feed upon them may the next 

 morning be killed. 



The sow-bug {Porcellio), one of the Cnistaceay 

 frequents places where ferns are cultivated. This 

 creature lives upon dead organic matter, and prob- 

 ably does no harm to the plants. Sow-bugs may 

 be caught by inverting flower-pots with moss or 

 leaves in them to serve as traps : they will col- 

 lect under these covers. Or they may be hunted 

 under boards or loose stones. 



Among fern-pests in the New-England States 



