INSECTS. 



19 



should always be kept a little damp; for tlie stems and 

 leaves are very apt to shrivel if kept too dry, and this often 

 causes them to lose their bottom leaves ; and they require 

 but a short season of rest. Those which are growing on 

 blocks will require more water than those w^hich are in pots 

 or baskets, and they should be watered about twice or 

 three times a-week if the weather be fine, but in dull 

 weather they will not require it so often. The water 

 should be poured over the paths and walks every fine 

 morning, with a view to create a moist atmosphere, but 

 the moisture in the house must be regulated according to 

 the weather outside ; — this is an important point to be at- 

 tended to : if the w^eather be dull outside, the house inside 

 must be kept dry. The glass and roof should alwa^^s be 

 perfectly clean, so that the plants may have plenty of light 

 and sun : it is my practice, as soon as the season of rest 

 commences, to wash every piece of glass on the house, and 

 also the woodwork. 



Insects. 



The plants are liable to be injured by many sorts of 

 insects, such as red spider, thiips, mealy-bug, wiiite and 

 brown scale, woodlice, cockroaches, and a small shell 

 snail. Cockroaches are among the greatest plagues we 

 have to deal with ; they will do a great deal of mischief in 

 a few nights, if they are not sought after, on every oppor- 

 tunity. The food they like best is the young tender roots 

 and flower-stems. I have seen the roots of a plant com- 

 pletely eaten off in one night. The only way to keep 

 these insects under is by constantly looking after them, both 

 by night and day. I search for them every evening by 

 candle-light, and in the daytime by moving the pots and 

 baskets under which they harbour. They leave their 

 hiding-places in the evening, and seek after food, and it is 



