irOTr TO DESTBOr IXSECTS. 



37 



he builds a stationary house, then sallies forth to de- 

 stroy. Too small to be detected by the naked eye, the 

 microscope sho\YS minute red, animated bodies with 

 several legs, not unlike the red spider ; turn his house 

 upside down with a pin, and it appears like a nest full 

 of squirming chickens. These houses, or scdJe-s, appear 

 on tlie leaves, stems, and stalks of ivies, on rose-stalks, 

 and I have seen them on carnations, bouvardias, and the 

 ivy-leaved pelargoniums ; when they are numerous it 

 may well be supposed that the inhabitants are present 

 in vast numbers. A sticky, gummy substance precedes 

 their appearance, whicli may oe noticed in small spat- 

 ters on leaves and wall-paper ; the remedy is to get 

 them off. Ivies can be washed Avith an old tooth-brush 

 most eifectually, brushing ])()rh sides of the leaves, the 

 stems, and stalks with weak soap-suds : this, if done 

 thoroughly twice a year, will keep a large ivy in good 

 health, even if kept in the house all suumku-. Smaller 

 ones can be washed oftener with ease. Small ivies 

 should be kept in pots with otlier plants till a foot or 

 two in length, or even longer : this not only economizes 

 space, but the ivy will have a stronger root aud more 

 .rapid growth ; when large enough to be an ornament it 

 may be given a pot by itself.'* 



j^Iamive-u'dteVf Soot-feaf etc. 



Now let us see the ladies kill the insects. One is 

 told that a sprinkling of wood-ashes will kill the tiny 



