316 



ON THE CULTURE 



quently proved the efficacy of the remedy which I 

 take the liberty of offering to the public. 



This last-described species is of a more pernicious 

 nature than the former ; it attacks every part of 

 the plant, from the top of its fruit even to the most 

 extreme parts of its root. These animals wedge 

 themselves in between the protuberances of the fruit 

 in a most surprising manner, so as not to be got out 

 without great difficulty, which not only makes the 

 fruit appear very unsightly when it becomes ripe, 

 but, by robbing it of its nutritious juices, is the 

 cause also of it& wanting flavour and being ilk 

 tasted. 



But the bad effects of this species on the roots 

 of the plants are yet of a far worse consequence - t 

 for there, even at the bottom of the pots, they in- 

 crease with an uncommon degree of rapidity,, so as 

 soon to become very numerous, and in the end to 

 to destroy the principal roots of the plants. The 

 common method to extirpate them from this situa- 

 tion, is, by shifting the plants in their pots ; at the 

 same time cleansing their leaves and the roots, 

 which is usuallly styled a dressing* Decoctions 

 made from tobacco, wormwood, walnut-leaves, 

 henbane, and other herbs of a bitter or poisonous 

 quality, are generally used on this occasion ; and, 

 by some, snuff, sulphur, and pepper are added : 

 but none of these prove to be of a nature suffi- 

 ciently penetrating. There are insects always 

 between the leaves in the centres of the plants, 

 fixed so low as to escape unhurt ; and as they in- 



