42 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
Insects.—Half starved and otherwise neglected roses are 
quite susceptible to insect attacks, but not so if they are 
properly cared for, In St. Louis and vicinity the most 
serious insect enemy of the rose is probably the green fly, 
well known to all who have grown roses. It isa small, green 
plant louse, or aphid, about one-eighth of an inch in length 
when full-grown, and usually wingless, The body is oval 
and soft and secretes a sweet fluid of which ants are par- 
ticularly fond. The presence of ants on rose bushes is good 
evidence that the aphid is at work. They usually work 
on the young shoots, sucking the juices with their long, 
slender beaks, and if unmolested quickly destroy the 
vigor and vitality of the rose plant. The most effective 
agent with which to combat the aphid is tobacco smoke, but 
its use out of doors is obviously connected with serious diffi- 
culties. In its place, however, an infusion of tobacco stems 
or leaves, quassia chips, or bitter ash, will be found effective. 
To prepare the solution add one gallon of water to four 
ounces of quassia sp or tobacco stems or leaves, and after 
boiling the mixture for about ten minutes decant the liquid 
and add four ounces of soft soap. The latter should dissolve 
in the infusion on cooling. The solution so prepared may 
be applied either with a sprayer or with a whisk lesan and 
should be thoroughly stirred before using, Where a suffi- 
cient water pressure is available the green fly may further 
be kept in check by vigorously spraying the plants from 
time to time as required. 
Another troublesome pest of out-door roses is the rose 
hopper, or thrips. The insect is small, yellowish white, about 
three-twentieths of an inch long, and provided with a pair 
of transparent wings. It preys upon the leaves, working 
especially on the under a the foliage assuming a sickly 
yellowish appearance. Their control is more difficult be- 
cause of the active jumping and flying habits of the insect. 
Spraying the plants with water, so as to wet the under side 
of the leaves, and subsequently dusting them with powdered 
hellebore usually effects a cient control. 
_ Several kinds of caterpillars prey upon the rose, some- 
times causing considerable injury. All of them envelop 
themselves in the leaves or burrow in the flower buds. 
Powdered hellebore sprinkled over the plants prevents to a 
considerable extent the movements of the larvae, but removal 
ae accomplished by actually picking them from the 
p ; 
Fungous Diseases—The mildew is perhaps the com- 
monest disease of the rose in this locality. Some varieties 
