Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-02-13
FARM AND EIRESIDE.
Lice On wladsW Plants.
WILLIAM FALcoNER.


some to most soft-wooded plants. as
Fairgrounds, PInks, Primroses, Hello
trepes, and the like, as well as to the
young and growing points and flower
buds. of Roses, Bouvardies. Fuchsias,
&c, and how to effectually rid ourselves
Of this pest, is desideratum. l
commend simplicity and energetic APP
plication-washing with soap and water
and a sponge. Gardeners fumigate their
green-house with tobacco trash to kill
green-lv, and amateurs sometimes try
it too, and scorch their plants; hence l
advise ladies and others having a few
window plants, not to fumigate them.
Neither use whale-oil soap nor any 9TH
er preparation whatever, because it will
do little or no good but perhaps, much
evil. Take the hy-ln-fested plant to
the sink, lay it on Its side, so that the
pot may rest on the woodwork and the
crops Or plant be over the sink then
place a basin Of clean water softened by
common soap, under the crops, and
with a sponge aud plenty of water, re-
move every intruder. Turn the plant
over and over, till it is certain not fly
is left, and if this washing be done care
fully, calmly and earnestly, only the
work of a minute, lis thoroughly effec-
tive and in no way deleterious TO the
plant. Now that the plant is clean.
place it aside, away from the unclean,
and take the rest, one by one. and wash
them IN the same way.
Don't turn on the water and hold the
plant under the tap; that is a clumsy,
injurious, andineifectual plan. Neither
use your hands as if a cat went a-tshing
afraid to wet your fingers !; but roll up
your sleeves and 90 to work with an en-
ergy worthy the cause, and in ten min
utes you will accomplish as much and
better work than you can in an hour by
either the tap or clean fingered policy.
SCALE.
If the plants be infested with scale
the sponge will erase them from the
leaves. and sharpsided piece Of wood
or the back OF q knl, may be used to
Scrape tivm 4 the =. MS AID branches.
and d shap- p"nled--wlt. Tie point ii
lill, dull. So as not ~ scratch stick to
fetch d. I. uacious verm,p out ofcrcvI-
ces Ia Tie ark aud elsewhere. leal-aXils,
aud about luds. Use the sponge alter
the scrapcr. Ii there be any big brown
scales that look dry. and from which,
when YOU displace them, shower OF
dust or meal (cggs) is scattered, be
sure torcmoyc thes, with the fingers so
carefully as not to drop or disseminate
an egg, and squeeze all out Of existence
between your finger and thumb.
THRIPs.
are little black insects that suck the
liie-bloOd ofpl;.bts, and do more mis-
chief in a week Than the same number
Of any other lice will do in a month.
They breed innumerably and in little
colonies on the under sides Of the leaves.
The young ones are green and yellow
ish-sreen. Gardeners iumigate them to
death, or dip the infested plants in water
impregnated with whals-Oil soap and to-
bacco-water. If the mixture be not too
strong and the plants be syringed with
OF dipped in clean water Immediately
afterwards, the cure Is good, and no evil
is done ; but if the mixture be too
strong, then the leaves suffer as if they
were scared or blighted. Therefore,
for window plants, l must recommend
for thrips what do for green-Ay-wash-
ing with soap and water and sponge.
At the sink this washing is good enough,
but in the greenhouse it won't 10, as
many thrips would escape to propagate
their species and perpetuate their work.
Consequently, would recommend in
the case Of greenhouses, where dipping
or iumigating is not practiced, to death
with the fingers every thrip that can be
seen aud wash after bruislng. When
fully matured, they are such hard little
customers that the sponge won't kill
the halt of th, III.
MEALY BUGS
arc known at glance, aud the washing
method is the cure for them also. But
/ must advise atall theirnes Of eggs
be squeezed between the fingers, 50 that
none escape. Mealy bugs often secrete
themselves about the leaf.axils, flower
heads. growing points. or any mtersticc
that may occur between the root and