99 



CHAPTER X. 



PESTS AND SPRAYING. 



** Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still 

 a flying-." — Herrick. 



As Spring- advances the Rose grower is kept on 

 thorns, for the enemies of the Queen of Flowers are 

 legion. Like the plagues of Egypt, they beset our 

 trees until we are nearly at our wits' end how best to 

 combat their attacks. I have often considered the 

 matter very deeply, and tried hard to solve the problem 

 why the Rose should be more subject to disease and 

 the attacks of insects than almost any other flower. 



Even in its hardy wild state it is more harassed by 

 pests than are the other plants and flowers of the field. 

 How be it, cultivation has added to its troubles. 



It is a curious fact that all the noblest and most 

 beautiful orders of creation seem to be unduly sur- 

 rounded with so much that is opposed to their excel- 

 lence. Horses can hardly move for swindlers and 

 touts, dogs for drunken owners and coarseness, birds 

 for beasts of prey, flowers, for insect pests, and even 

 energetic and good men, suffer from the tongue of evil 

 report. 



The nearer each gets to perfection the greater ap- 

 pears to be the difficulties that beset development. 

 Undoubtedly no order of creation is entirely free from 

 *' pests." It reminds one of those lines learnt in our 

 school days : ** Lesser fleas have lesser fleas upon their 

 backs to bite 'em, and lesser fleas have lesser fleas, and 

 so adinfinitum." But, poor Rosa, what has she done 

 to be so beset by enemies? I will tell you. No, it is 

 not a piece of scandal or aught unkind, but if Rosa 

 was a lady, when the secret is out she would have 



