48 



sow TO DESTROY IJVSECTS, 



these vegetable vampires^ and how was I to destroy 

 them and at the same time not sacrifice my plant 



" A friend of mine tells me she kills them one by one, 

 but oh ! how slow." 



Scene— A Conservatory. 



Spectators ensconced in dark corners of the cobweb 

 galleries plotting the destruction of some poor fly. 

 Also, parties of aphis are present, more intent upon 

 chewing geranium leaves than upon witnessing the per- 

 formances. There may be a toad or two in the pit, but 

 if so they were not sufficiently awake to cheer. Pussy 

 stood in the door Avinking and purring in anticipation 

 of a good fee in catnip from a pot in one corner. 



The performances commenced with the Mealy-bug 

 March, closing with a tragedy, accompanied with the 

 Dead March in Saul. 



The instruments used were a tooth-brush and small 

 syringe, winding up with a grand flourisli from the 

 v/atering-pot. 



Let me descrlhe^ not introduce, to you this same 

 mealy-bug. It is by no means nn ugly-looking insect. 

 They remind me of guinea-pigs, oval in form, in color 

 white, a silvery wliite, with scmietimes a bull or a pink 

 tinge, as if the pink were seen through gauze, reminding 

 one of those pretty wliite shells with pink lining. They 

 are disgusting creatures to kill, and are very trouble- 



