410 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, March 17, 1857. 
to "row, the leaves being so dirty, and the insects so 
numerous, I could not help wishing that the poor things had 
received only a tithe of the attention bestowed so willingly 
on the charming collars, and neat, spotless, embroidered 
wristbands. A lady is none the less a lady if she dispenses 
with these latter accessories at times, and must do so if she 
would have pleasure and success in gardening. I have been 
thanked with a look of amazement that said as plainly as 
possible, “ What a thoughtless, careless thing I have been!” 
when, on turning up my sleeves, spreading the fingers and 
palm of the left hand over the surface of the soil in the 
pot, and turning the head of the. plant topsy-turvy into a 
pail of water, moving it briskly several times through it; 
then setting it upright, and washing every leaf, upper and 
lower side, between the fingers and thumb; then swinging 
it again through clean water, and setting it ouco more in 
its position as pleasing a gem as a queen could wish to 
have in her company. There are many plants a disgrace 
to windows, because, from something like despair, the owners 
never try to keep them clean. Nimble fingers would soon 
make all the filth disappear. I have seen more time spent 
in a morning in unavailing regrets than would have sufficed 
for setting adrift every insect and dust spot from their 
favourites. 
The above mode of action is applicable to all smoothish- 
leaved plants, as Myrtles, Camellias, Oranges, &c.; and if 
a little soap is dissolved in the first water, and in the 
washings before the last swingings, so much the better. 
When on examining the foliage you find that it is supplied 
with bristly hairs or down on either side, then a^ponge will be 
preferable to the fingers. In all other cases the fingers will 
be best, as no mechanism can ever be made to equal them. 
It will also be advisable, in all cases, for beginners to have 
a piece of loose cloth to place over the surface soil of the 
pot before the palm and fingers are placed across it with 
one hand, while the other hand holding the pot reverses the 
top of the plant in the water. The cloth thus held prevents 
the soil dropping out, and when the plant is set upright, and 
you are washing or sponging the leaves, the filth obtains no 
entrance to the soil. When finished, scratch off a little of 
the surface soil, replace with a little fresher, and if the 
pots are likewise clean all will then look comfortable. 
In the case of plants too large for a pail or tub it is best 
to lay the plant down, wet it all thoroughly from the rose of 
a watering pot, much better still with a good syringe, a sub¬ 
stitute being found in a good-sized boy’s squirt, especially 
when you can so manage the nozle, by placing against 
it the forefinger of the left hand, as to regulate the 
discharge at will from a strong jet to a misty dew when 
desirable. Of course similar means must be adopted to 
clean the plant when washed. 
As such washings are thus promotive of health, so frequent 
sprinklings over the foliage will act as the great antidote to 
disease, insects, and decay. In the course of our travels 
together we shall very likely find that there are plants and 
circumstances in which a slight sprinkling even in sunshine 
will be advisable, especially if the glass of the window is 
good, so that there is no danger of burning spots from 
the rays of the sun finding foci in the glass, and foci in the 
drops of water; but we will have a thorough understanding 
about these cases as we proceed. Meanwhile, taking Nature 
as our guide, which, with the exception of a sunny shower, 
seldom washes vegetation without withdrawing direct sun¬ 
light, we would prefer a dull day, or a period or a place 
when the sun was not shining, for washing our plants ; and 
as dew, which we wish our sprinklings somewhat to resemble, 
is never formed until the heat obtained from the sun has 
been so far dissipated that the body dewed is colder than 
the surrounding atmosphere, from which it condenses the 
moisture existing as vapour; so, as soon as we can calculate 
on the absence of risks from frost while the leaves of the 
plant are damp, would we prefer the afternoon and evening 
for this sprinkling, refreshing process, and thus so far 
provide against the injurious influence of the dry atmosphere 
which obtains in living rooms. Allowing the plants to 
stand on damp moss will also help to keep more invisible 
vapour in the atmosphere in which they grow. In dull 
weather in winter, when the room is dry and hot, we would 
sprinkle them in the forenoon, and early in the afternoon 
when sunny. 
2. Destroying Insects. —If the previous operations are 
attended to, and the plants supplied with a suitable tem¬ 
perature, fresh air, and water as they require it, insects will 
seldom trouble them. One thing be sure of—that if you 
allow them to be fairly occupied and injured the destroying 
of the insects is but a next-door operation to burning plants 
and insects together. The remedy should be applied as 
soon as ever one is seen. If you allow them to insert their 
myriads of colonies of eggs you may wash off or otherwise 
destroy every living insect, and yet in a few days you may 
have as many as before, so amazingly soon are they hatched 
into active existence. In some fleshy insects, as very fat 
green fly, though easily squeezed to death by the hand, yet if 
very numerous their animal remains are very hurtful to the 
tender vegetation that is forced to absorb them. Washing 
them off, or first stupefying and then killing them with 
tobacco, so that they fall from the plants, are the best 
remedies. The smoking of young gentlemen’s Havannahs 
might thus be turned to some purpose. Shutting the plants 
in a small closet or box, and smouldering a little shag 
tobacco about them, would make them drop for that time. 
The great thing is not to make the smoke too strong, nor 
yet allow it to be hot; therefore, when lighted, it should be 
covered by something like damp moss. An ounce of tobacco, 
boiled in five gallons of water, may be used when cool for 
dipping the head of the plant in; but it should be shaded 
for a day, and then pass through clean water before exposing 
the plant to the light. Next to green fly, tbrips and red 
spider are the most troublesome enemies—both very small, 
but destructive, and always known to be present by showing 
glazed-like pieces in the under side of the leaves in the one 
case, and by an unhealthy, pale, spotted appearance in the 
other. Water and moisture are the great enemies of both. 
When very bad shut the plants up in a close box; take a 
saucepan with a close-fitting iron lid, fill it nearly full of 
water, heat it to 170°, paint the lid with sulphur-and-water 
paint, and then place the saucepan with the close lid in the 
confined place, and the fumes will help to settle the insects. 
Of course keep the heated saucepan, or whatever the vessel 
you use, at a distance from the plants, and when the plants 
are taken out syringe them well with clear water. A scaly 
insect collects on some plants, which must be washed 
off. Few of any kind will make their appearance if the 
plants are kept clean and healthy. 
3. Ventilating, or Changing the Air about Plants.— 
If attention has been paid to what has been said of the 
various functions performed by the leaves of plants, the 
importance of giving them fresh air in rooms will at once 
be recognised. Many never knew how to regulate their 
rooms for their own comfort until they studied what was 
essential for the well-being of their plants. In the 
northern division of Britain there are many windows where 
plants could not thrive, just because the windows are 
fixtures never intended to be opened. Can this be a reason 
why you may traverse whole principal streets in cities and 
towns in Scotland, and not catch sight of a pot plant or a 
box of Mignonette ? Whatever the plants we cultivate, 
the more healthy they will be in proportion to the fresh air 
they receive. Those are the most dependent on this change 
of air which receive least of direct sunshine, because in 
sunshine the plant, to a certain extent, purifies its own 
atmosphere. Air-giving must, however, be dependent on 
human comfort, as well as the welfare of the plants. In 
towns hardy things are often grown, and these in fine 
weather, if not previously enervated by confinement, can 
hardly have too much of the pure breezes. In the country, 
and even somewhat generally in towns, plants rather tender 
are grown in windows, because, if just kept from frost, they 
succeed much better in such comparative confinement than 
hardier plants would do. The night average temperature 
of such plants, during the spring months, may range from 
40° to 50 J , with a rise of 10° to 15° from sunshine; and 
when the sun shines, or when the fire of the room raises 
the temperature during the day, then is the most suitable 
time for admitting a little fresh air, and until the weather gets 
warmer it is best to do so by pulling down the sash a little. 
A very little opening soon changes the atmosphere, and 
that little given early and continued some time is better than 
giving more at once. I prefer pulling the top sash down an 
inch or two instead of raising the lower sash, because then 
