Page:The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory.djvu/283

Rh then take the pot out of the house, and remove the unconsumed portion; for when it is allowed to burn nearly out, and then left in the house to smoulder, there is a danger of a portion of the paper becoming quite dry, and then bursting into a flame. In using Dreschler’s fumigator the paper must be ignited in exactly the same manner as in the flower pot, and until it is fairly alight turn the handle connected with the cage rather quickly, but afterwards it must be turned slowly.

Let the foliage of all plants be quite dry when fumigated, for when moist it is invariably more or less injured by the smoke. The evening of a still day is the most suitable for the work, as the house can remain closed for at least twelve hours afterwards. All openings must be closed, and the roofs of small structures and pits covered with mats or canvas, to prevent the too rapid escape o£ the smoke. Usually two fumigations with an interval of one or two days between will suffice, but when the plants are badly infested with thrips it will be necessary to fumigate three times on alternate days. In the morning after the house has been fumigated give the plants a thorough syringing to wash off the dead insects, and to finish off those in a dying state. As the smoke will destroy the flowers in a wholesale manner, all plants in bloom which it is desired to preserve must be removed.

.&mdash;Clear water is the most valuable insecticide, for when the plants are syringed freely during the growing season there will not be much danger of their being infested with green-fly or any other pests. Hot water is remarkably efficacious, and any soft plant may be dipped into water heated to 120° Fahr., while plants of harder texture may be dipped in water at 140°. Gisburst compound, prepared according to the patentee’s directions, is perhaps one of the most effectual and the cheapest of the preparations. Tobacco-water, which can be made by steeping good shag tobacco in boiling water for a few hours, is efficacious and easily made. A little size mixed with any of the liquid mixtures will ensure its adhering to the foliage, and it will do no harm if the plants are thoroughly syringed the following day. Large plants must be syringed, but for those of small or medium size sufficient should be made to admit of their being immersed, for every portion of the foliage will then be thoroughly moistened, and all real waste prevented, provided, of coarse, the plants are held over the