so 



ORCHIDS. 



then that they are most easily caught. It is also a good 

 plan to lay some damp moss in the hottest part of the 

 house ; I have killed many in this way, looking the moss 

 over every two or three days. I have also destroyed them 

 with a mixture of honey, lard, and arsenic, the latter in 

 very small quantity. I place some of this in oyster shells 

 in different parts of the house. Some growers mix the 

 arsenic ^ith tallow put on a stick, which is stuck in the 

 pots ; care, however, must be taken that the mixture does 

 not touch the leaves or bulbs of the plants. 



The small ants are another pest in the Orchid-house, 

 as they carry the dirt to the flowers, w^hich spoils their 

 appearance. The best thing I know of to catch these little 

 and troublesome insects, is to cut apples in halves, scoop 

 out some of the inside, and lay the pieces in different parts 

 of the house, looking them over very often. I have de- 

 stroyed hundreds this way in a very short time. 



The woodlouse and the small shell snail are also very 

 destructive. These, like the cockroach, are very fond of 

 the young roots ; they may be trapped by cutting some 

 potatoes in two, scooping out the inside, and placing them 

 on th^ pots and baskets, looking over them every night and 

 morning till you clear your house of these vermin. Tur- 

 nips cut in slices will answer the same end. Toads are 

 veiy useful in catching insects ; I always keep a stock of 

 them in the house. 



The best way of getting rid of red spider and thrips is 

 by constantly washing the leaves with clean water, and by 

 fumigating the house with tobacco. My method is to fill 

 the house with tobacco-smoke three or four times ; this 

 should be done eveiy two or three days till the insects are 

 quite destroyed. Evening is the best time to do this. It 

 is also a good plan to mix some lime and sulphur toge- 

 ther, and rub it on the pipes in different parts of the house, 



