JanuaryJ] hot-house — of cleansing, etc. 139 



when, by easing itself from its bed, tlie fluid passes under 

 it, and causes immediate death. If it is not thus irritated, 

 it adheres so closely to the foliage that it will keep you at 

 defiance. The under or dark side of the leaves is its resi- 

 dence ; and we have observed a plant in a house where there 

 was only light on one side, with the dark side literally 

 covered, while the light side was clean. So much for having 

 houses with plenty of light. The effects of this insect are 

 of a corroding nature, extracting all the juice from the leaf; 

 and where they have got to the extremity, the foliage is 

 completely yellow, and of a decayed appearance. 



Cocus , or turtle insect. We have never ob- 

 served this insect arrive to any extent. It is the largest of 

 any known among us, and very like a turtle in minia- 

 ture. On lifting it from the wood, to which it generally 

 adheres, there appear to be hundreds of eggs under it, but 

 fumigating completely destroys the larvae. In our opinion, 

 this turtle insect is no other than the old female of the 

 brown scaly insect, which swells to a large size before de- 

 positing its eggs. We have frequently observed the insect 

 dead in this enlarged state, and question if this be not the 

 last stage of its transmigration. The male insect is winged^ 

 and very active in its movements. 



Where bulbous roots, such as Hi/acintlis^ Jonquils^ Ixias, 

 LachendllaSy &c., are required to be early in flower, they 

 may, during this month, be put in the front of the hot- 

 house and watered freely till they bloom, when they may be 

 taken to the green-house or parlor. 



AzaleaSy Rhododendron Roses, and some other plants, do 

 admirably to force; and where there is a large stock, a few 

 should be brought into early bloom with the heat of this 

 department, 



OF CLEANSING PLANTS, HOUSE, &c. 



This subject ought to be kept constantly in view. How- 

 ever correctly everything else may be executed, without 

 that adorning beauty, cleanliness, all will appear only half 

 done. Therefore let all the dead leaves be picked ofi* every 

 day, the dust and other litter swept out of the house, and, 

 when necessary^ the house washed, which will be at least 



