Culture 
21 
is done as it should be, there is no neces- 
sity for saying keep out weeds, for weeds 
cannot get in. When flowering-time is 
reached, keep all dead flowers cut away 
promptly, and do not let anything go to 
seed. This induces more flowers. 
The most troublesome insects are 
aphids which suck the plant juices, and 
beetles which devour the plant substance. 
For the former a spray of strong ivory 
or common laundry soapsuds, made in the 
proportion of one-fourth a cake to four 
gallons of water, and used hot, will usu- 
ally prove very effective; but devouring 
insects mind it no more than a summer 
rain. Direct poison must be fed to them, 
or they must be picked off by hand or 
knocked into a dish of kerosene-flavored 
water. The safest direct poison is helle- 
bore, this being non-poisonous to man. It 
is non-poisonous to some bugs also, un- 
happily, though this is not generally the 
case. Use the powder just after a rain 
or in the morning before the dew is off — 
or sprinkle the plants affected and use it 
while they are wet. This so that it will 
stick to the foliage : do not do it while the 
sun is full upon them. 
