The only remedy we have found is a preventive one, which, in fact, ought to be used against all insect life. We have spoken of this (and will not repeat) in our rose chapter. The only remedy, whale-oil soap, is prepared by florists by dissolving one pound to eight gallons of water. They apply it ten days in succession, with a garden engine or syringe. This must be done very early in the morning, or late at night, as the slug shuns the light of day, and hides under the leaf. With very young, delicate roses, the solution is too powerful; hand work will be necessary to pick them off. English sparrows, a comparatively late importation, should be kindly treated by all, as they are the best exterminators of injurious insects. The ground, or blue aphis, and verbena mite, are among our most subtle and dangerous of pests. They work at the root, and often before we can see the plant fading, they have taken its life. The florist’s remedy is as soon as you see the least sign of drooping in your Asters or Verbenas, the plants most afflicted by them, water them copiously and persistently at the roots, with tobacco water, the color of strong tea, and apply it daily for one week. We often take up the plants and wash the roots, but it is a harsh remedy: it will kill or cure.
12.—SOME USEFUL HINTS.
We have, in studying different books on horticulture, found many opposing sentiments. Some seemed like hearsay to all former experience, yet we ought to be ready to receive all advice based upon positive experience. We intend acting upon some new theories of Peter Henderson, a famous gardener near New York. We have always supposed it very injurious to take water directly from a cold spring to water plants, and that rain water or soft water must be used, at the same temperature as the air in which the plants are growing. He says it is a foolish dogma, as the water will take the same temperature before the plant can be injured. Of course if the plant was to stand in cold water it would injure it. This will save much extra trouble; we ourselves shall profit by his advice, as he ought to know, having faithfully tried the experiment.
We have always supposed it necessary for the health of a potted plant to have a sufficient amount of bits of oyster shell, &c., at the bottom for drainage.
Mr. Henderson says, for fifteen years he has grown all his thrifty plants without the use of crock, charcoal, or any other substitute, and he considers it useless trouble; he thinks the moisture escapes freely from the sides of the pot. He says when we wish to resuscitate an unhealthy plant, we wash the soil from its roots, and put in a new pot, where the drainage is perfect from the sides. He has grown millions of healthy plants without draining. He thinks old pots, whose pores are all filled, often cause the death of a plant. He approves of frequent change of pots, as it injures a plant for the roots to become hard and woody. In most cases the slightest tap on the edge of the pot is sufficient to turn out the ball of earth. Be careful and not take too large a pot; the size must increase gradually.
Mr. Henderson thinks it is not unhealthy to sleep with plants in the room, as we have always been taught. He says it is a common practice for gardeners to sleep in their green-house, and to be with their plants often at night, and yet, as a class, they are vigorous men. He himself, for three winters, slept on the floor of the hot-house, without any injury, and that was more than a score of years ago.
Plants can easily be sent by mail, by first washing the roots in water, then take them dripping and wrap them in dry moss, then roll around them several thicknesses of thick brown paper; the whole must be tightly rolled, to prevent the dry air penetrating to shrivel the plant. In this way plants can be sent even two thousand miles at a cheap rate, as our postal laws only charge two cents for four ounces, unless the package exceeds four pounds.
13.—MOSS BASKETS.
Take a piece of the spring used in hoop-skirts, or a rattan, and make a small hoop about eight inches in diameter. Collect from the woods a quantity of the long, feathery moss, and wind a heavy wreath of this moss on a hoop, then cover a piece of the rattan or hoop-spring, sufficiently long for the handle, with moss, and fasten it to the hoop. Then take a solid bunch of this moss, the size of the centre of the hoop, and push inside of this moss-covered hoop; this forms a moss basket. Take a common plate, and place this basket upon it, and sprinkle it thoroughly with water. This basket can be filled again and again with bright flowers, casting away the flowers as they wither. The wet moss will keep them fresh as long as if placed in a vase filled with water. Now and then place this basket in a dish of water, and sprinkle it, or let the rain fall upon it. This will freshen the green tint of the moss.