20 
CLEANLINESS. 
as they make their appearance. Snuff should not be 
sprinkled over the leaves, as it does the Plants as much 
injury as any other dust. The scaly insect, which is 
very common on Oleanders, and other thick leaved 
Plants, is not so easily destroyed, as it adheres close 
to the stem and leaves; the best way is to wash the 
plants with a sponge and soap and water, and where 
the insects stick in the axils of the leaves, they may 
be picked off with a pointed stick. Plants subject to 
them, should be cleaned at least once a year. 
A sponge dipt in a little sweet oil and again in soapy 
water, and wiped up the stem and under the leaves, 
will keep them off a long time, but the oil must be 
used very sparingly or it will injure the Plants. The 
spiders are very troublesome to Plants, particularly 
the little red spider, which is so very small as to be 
hardly perceptible, webbing on the under side of the 
leaves and causing them to turn brown, and in warm, 
dry weather, they increase very rapidly, and will soon 
destroy the plants, if not checked. Sulphur is much 
recommended, but requires some care, particularly by 
persons not accustomed to use it, or they may destroy 
their Plants. The best way is to take some pounded 
Sulphur and put it in pans, and set the pans on the 
flue but not near the furnace or any part of the flue 
where it is liable to take fire, or sprinkle some on 
the coldest part of the flue, that is just hot enough to 
raise the fume. Do this in the evening, and syringe 
the Plants in the morning. This repeated a few times 
will gradually destroy the insects. Those having but 
few Plants and no convenience for using Sulphur, 
may trim off the leaves most infested, and wash the 
