The Portland daily press., 1878-12-11
AGRICULTURAL.
insects i'm The window Garden.

RED SPIDER Look on the outside of the
leaves of your plants carefully whenever they
seem troubled or diseased, and underneath
will be seen from one to an innumerable num-
ber of insects-red spiders-which suck the
juices entirely out of the leaves of plants up
on which they are allowed to remain.
They increase very fast in hot, dry atmos-
phere. Moisture is sure death to red spider.
The simplest and cheapest remedy possible is
clear water, forcibly applied to the foliage,
more particularly on the under sides, as often
as necessary. Syringe the plants freely in
the morning, before the SUP shines upon
them, and in the evening, after the sun has
gone off them.
IHE APHIs, OR GREEN FLY, is larger and
more readily seen than the red spider. A
good, simple remedy, sufficient for purposes
OF most window gardeners, is as iollows:-
Iake some tobacco, put it in some water
an and let it soak until it looks like strong tea
Inc proportions may be apout one-fourth of
pound of tobacco to three or four quarts of
water; this may be applied with syringe; a
brush or sponge may be dipped into the to-
bacco water and used to brush them off,
small plants can be plunged into it, the top
downward.
Doctor the sick plant with sunshine, char
coal and coed drainage. The aphis usually
attacks those plants in some way diseased,
ouo WhOh lulo iS tI6 case the DldntS must be
restored to perfect health again.
To destroy the aphis without tobacco: If
the infested plant is small and short take
three or four laurel leaves, beat them all over
with hammer, so as to thoroughly bruise
them, then place them round or under the
plant and cover; bell. glass does best. Let
ali remain closed for few hours, and the
apnides will be found dead, each hanging by
lts proboscis only. If this process is repeated
u 10 nIya I, ax~Iax
Will be perfectly freed, and in some cases is
not again attacked. This way of killing aph-
ldes Is particularly acceptable to those who
40 not ike tobacco smoke; all danger arising
from an overdose of it to very tender plant
is avoided, and the laurel is so generally
grown 1t must be almost everywhere near at
hand.
Another good insect remedy may be made
Dy sleeping about two ounces of quassia
chips in gallon of hot water. This is very
destructive to the green fly # the plants are
Immersed in it.
THE MEALY BuG.-The mealy bug is a
very annoying insect; it appears like a white
mealy spot, not more than one third as large
as lady bug, and infests the crotchets OF
smooth-barked plants, and also gets into the
cracks OF the bark of rough-barked plants; !;
mere 1t matches its nests of young ones. The
best way to destroy it is to brush the stems
with an old toothbrush dipped into the
Strongest soap suds you can make, with lit
tie SCOT added to the water, and then give the
plants good sprinkling;it it can be scraped
of with the finger nails, but the process is
not an agreeable one.
Let it once get foothold, and it is very
difficult to get rid of it. They can also be
kept down by frequent Swinging with warm,
greasy water, to which a little sulphur
should be added; but if full-grown, they
should be picked off by the hand or small
sharp-pointed stick. Alcohol is sure death
to mealy bug. 1t can be removed from
thousands OF the most delicate plants, wi; b
out partical Of injury, by simply applying
f'eqrentlv, for few weeks, alcohol diluted
with five per cent. of water. The most con-
venient way to use it is by fine brush put
through the cork of wide-mouthed bottle.
Kerosene may sometimes be used, as ap-
pears by the testimony of an Illinois win
doW-gardener:-- For more than year l
have used kerosene to destroy nealy bug
and scale louse, and have found it a mcst
convenient aud effectual remedy. l apply
1t to the backs of the insects with feather
and brush lightly around the axis OF the
leaves infested, and / have not found any in
furious effect of its use upon tie most ten
der plants" Powdered white hellebore and
whale-oil soap, dissolved and sprinkled
through any sprinkler, will do the work
ef,ctually. Cabinet.