264 



THE FLOWER GROWER'S GUIDE. 



enough to destroy the enemy. This petroleum mixture does little or no harm to the 

 roots if some of it niters through the soil to them, but where possible the plants should 

 be laid on their sides and have the preparation driven forcibly into them, in particular 

 searching out all joints and crevices. A close look out should be kept for what 

 few bugs survive the ordeal, and these disposed of, clean plants may be expected. 



Any plants syringed or sponged with petroleum mixtures ought to be carefully 

 shaded from bright sunshine for a few days, as they are liable to injury if exposed. 

 Wood-work, and all places where mealy bug may be lurking, ought also to have a 

 thorough cleansing with the hot-water, soap, and petroleum mixture, but none of it, 

 nor any other strong insecticide, must fall on hairy-leaved plants, including gesneras, 

 achimines, gloxinias, and coleuses, nor ought the smooth, succulent leaves of eucharises, 

 pancratiums, or clivias to be either syringed or sponged with petroleum or other 

 bug- killing mixtures, or serious damage may be done. 



Strong insecticides are also injurious to dipaldenias, a genus peculiarly liable to an 

 attack of mealy bug. All these ought to be hand-cleaned, a sponge and hot soapy 

 water, with a small stiff brush for the joints, answering well. Much can be done 

 towards keeping smooth-leaved plants, including eucharises, clean by frequent hard 

 syringings, with water impregnated with soot. A bushel bag of soot is kept covered with 

 water in a small tank or tub, and just enough taken out and added to the syringing 

 water to make this the colour of weak tea. Soot is an insecticide as well as a good 

 fertilizer. "Whatever remedy is adopted, it is of the greatest importance that it be 

 persevered with. Only let a few solitary eggs hatch out, the resulting bug having a 

 little law, and the plants will soon be in as filthy a state as ever. 



Scale Insects (various species).— Some of these are nearly allied to the mealy bug, 

 only in their case the female insects are protected by white or brown scale coverings, and 

 when they reach the full-grown stage become stationary. They are not nearly so trouble- 

 some to cultivators of stove plants as they are to fruit growers, but if they once get the 

 upper hand on stephanotis, gardenias, dracsenas, and a few other plants, they are very 

 difficult to eradicate. The remedies are exactly the same as are found efficacious 

 against mealy bug. 



Thrips (numerous species) are liable to infest and seriously injure a great variety of 

 stove and greenhouse plants. They are very minute, much longer than they are broad, 

 of a dirty white colour when young, brown or black when fully grown, and very active 

 at all times. Tobacco fumigations persevered with, and also either syringing with 



