THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August 
232 
tively shrinking into a heap at the sight of what 
her ignorance led her to look upon as a hideous rep¬ 
tile, exclaimed, “ Kill it, but do not hurt it.” If Mr. 
Aphis is to be destroyed, I know no means by which 
he can sulfer less than by adopting the squeezing 
system; and I suggest it here, because, if attended 
to at an early period, other more complicated opera¬ 
tions would be unnecessary. Hard syringing alone 
will do much to dislodge and something to destroy. 
When only a few plants are to be subjected to the 
operation, they should be taken out and laid alter¬ 
nately upon a cloth or board, and for these reasons : 
first, that the plant may easily be turned and moved, 
so that every cranny may be easily reached; secondly, 
that the water used may not fall into and soak the 
soil in the pot; and, thirdly, that the aphides dis¬ 
lodged may be safely disposed of. Unless for delicate 
plants, clear lime-water—made by throwing a shovel¬ 
ful of quicklime into a barrel, and allowing it tho¬ 
roughly to settle—will, for this purpose, be the best; 
but, in general cases under glass, the most effectual 
remedy is repeated doses of tobacco-smoke. How 
apply it? Not as one of that valuable, generally- 
useful class of gardeners, who began to twitch the 
corners of his mouth at the bare mention of smoking 
some frames—and well he might : his cucumbers 
had got very bad with the fly; he procured a quan¬ 
tity of tobacco, and then he laid himself down and 
puffed away for hours, using as his instrument 
a tobacco-pipe, and bis own mouth as an injecting 
agent, until lie was sick and tired alike. You smile, 
but little better was the system adopted in my 
younger days. When a house was to be smoked, 
several of the younger men had to take it in turns ; 
no matter their repugnance to the noxious weed. 
According to the size of the house to be smoked, a 
certain number of flower-pots were set upon its floor; 
at the bottom of each a piece of live coal was placed, 
then a piece of dry paper, then some dry tobacco, 
then the rest rather moist, and, above all, a covering 
of some moist substance, such as moss, to ensure 
plenty of smoke. The pot being set on the floor, 
little or no air could enter from below, but this was 
obviated by drilling or breaking a hole in the side 
of the pot near to its base. At each of these holes 
a boy or man was placed, to see that the process of 
cumbustion went on. Happy was he who could pro¬ 
cure an old bellows, for, if not, he must blow with 
his mouth as best he could until the house was com¬ 
pletely filled ! We say nothing of the reeling sensa¬ 
tions, and the scent of garments, after such an ope¬ 
ration, which, even now, is too often performed in a 
similar manner. In getting rid of the barbarous, 
we will not discard the useful, and, therefore, we will 
retain the garden-pot as the easiest come-at-able, 
and, for first cost, the most economical utensil for 
the piu-pose; an iron one would just be more lasting. 
We will not even trouble ourselves to drill a hole in 
its side, as, by simply elevating the pot upon any 
two substances, (two small pots inverted answer ad¬ 
mirably,) there will be a free admission of air to 
support combustion from the hole in the bottom. 
After lighting and filling as above described, all you 
have to do is to get out of doors, and watch the ope¬ 
ration. If well lighted and properly damped, they 
will never want to be touched. Three or four 6-inch 
pots will be sufficient for a large house. In smoking 
frames, carry the pots from place to place as wanted, 
catching its hot rim with a thick piece of woollen 
cloth. When only a few plants are infected, a single 
light may be shut off for that purpose. If there are 
open laps in the glass, it must be covered with damp 
mats or cloth, to keep the smoke in. If no glazed 
light can be appropriated, and the plant-house ad¬ 
joins the mansion, a piece of glazed or painted 
calico, either fixed to or thrown over hoops, will be 
useful, as both plants and smoking-pot may be set 
within the enclosed space, after having been previ¬ 
ously placed out of doors. In such circumstances, 
the pot is easily examined. Many instruments have 
been devised for effecting the same object, most of 
them attached to a hand bellows, with convenience 
for fire and tobacco, and a tube for conveying the 
smoke. Those who are interested in seeing Mr. Aphis 
stupified with a puff, may amuse themselves with a 
fumigator, though even then they must beware of 
blowing or bellowsing too hard, or they will scald 
the leaves as well as the vermin. For real utility 
and economy, as respects time, labour, and money, 
commend me to the garden-pot. The simpler the 
agent, the more effectually it performs its work; 
many gimcrack tools and utensils would only be 
lumber to a good workman. I must close with two 
special directions :—Fumigate when the first insects 
appear; if you wait until they cover the leaves you 
might as well leave it alone. Smoke several times 
rather than give too great a dose at once; some of 
the species are worse to kill than others, and these 
are generally upon plants the most sensitive to 
smoke. Err upon the safe side. Robert Fish. 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Asparagus. —Attend now to your beds by the 
application of liquid manure, with salt dissolved in 
it, or, if showery weather prevails, let salt be occa¬ 
sionally sprinkled over the surface of the soil. Pro¬ 
tect the outside rows from the driving wind, either 
with pea-sticks as they become out of use, or with a 
few stakes driven in to support rope-yam stretched 
along them; for the wind at this season is often the 
cause of serious injury to asparagus, by twisting the 
stems from the crowns of the plants. 
Globe Artichokes should be liberally supplied 
now with good liquid manure, and the fruit, as it 
becomes too old for culinary purposes, should at all 
times be cut off, as, if allowed to remain and blossom, 
it weakens and exhausts the plants, and should the 
season be a dry one may even kill the roots. 
Celery. —Continue to plant out this vegetable, 
and keep those crops that are already out clear from 
suckers. Frequently hoe and surface stir the soil, 
giving every possible assistance by the application 
of liquid manure, increasing the same both in 
strength and quantity as the soil becomes moistened 
by rain. Earth up the earliest and strongest crops 
by degrees, first very carefully drawing up the out¬ 
side leaves straight, and pressing a little earth 
against them, near the collar of the plant, with the 
hand, to prevent the earth getting into the heart of 
the celery, which, if allowed, causes deformity and 
makes a harbour for worms and insects, the forerun¬ 
ners of disease and decomposition. If any symptoms 
of the celery fly are discovered, dredge over the whole 
foliage, when moist, with fresh, dry chimney soot, 
which is the best remedy we could ever discover for 
its extirpation; and which application is at the same 
time a most excellent stimulating manure for encou¬ 
raging the growth of the crop. 
Routine Work. —Angelica may be sown now so 
that it may be well established for the next season’s 
crop. Coleivorts and cabbages should still be plenti¬ 
fully planted in succession; the previously planted- 
