THE PELARGONIUM. 
187 
turn be the minimum, and 55° the maximum, and as it becomes 
necessary to maintain this higher temperature, so the supply of 
moisture should be proportionately increased; the paths, heating 
apparatus, and shelves should be wetted twice a day in fine wea¬ 
ther, and the plants themselves should be syringed over three or 
four times a week; the humidity arising from this course is most 
conducive to a free growth, and also tends to keep the plants 
clean and clear of insects ; the latter will, however, always cause 
some trouble from the commencement of returning action in 
the plants, until the cold of winter deprives them of an active 
existence, and even after, for so long as there is new leaf or 
flower-bud upon the plants, green flies are likely to attack it, and 
when a collection is so unfortunate as to be growing in winter, 
an immensity of trouble is entailed, for these little pests swarm 
upon them, rendering that which is weak still more sickly: how¬ 
ever, tobacco smoke applied in moderate doses at frequent intervals 
is an easy and effectual remedy; it should be given in the even¬ 
ing, because the house may then be closely shut; the plants should 
be quite dry at the time, and if insects are numerous or strong, 
a second application on the following night may be necessary to 
make a complete eradication, but it is seldom they can withstand 
a single dose at this part of the year, and a double one never 
fails to exterminate all that have life. 
From the period when the plants may be said to be in full ac¬ 
tivity, which will be about the early part of March until the 
close of autumn, it is essential that they be liberally supplied 
with the two principal elements which form their food, air and 
water, and on their appliance the whole management may be 
said to turn ; perhaps, of the two, the first may be properly con¬ 
sidered the most important, for on the quality and quantity of 
that administered the life of the plant depends ; the graphic 
and usual direction, to “give air on all favorable occasions,” is 
fully sufficient to the practised operator, but to the tyro is worse 
than useless, because it admits of so many interpretations, and 
yet with our varying climate it is almost impossible to express 
the direction in more definite terms; still there remains the 
question, what is a favorable occasion ? Taking the months of 
March and April, when the ordering of the supply of air is of 
