100 PESTS AND SPEAYING. 



some old Mother Gamp to distress her still further, and 

 cause her to blush through the deliberate misinterpreta- 

 tion of what I am about to write — namely, that Rosa 

 is too forward. Yes, she rushes out into the world 

 and courts the season too early, with the result that she 

 gets led on, encouraged and then suddenly cut, or 

 some pest stabs and bleeds her to death. Her con- 

 stitution is not as robust as 'her parent, neither is she 

 so prudent, so that cold winds and frosts find her, and 

 under their adverse influences she is withered and 

 blighted. Good reader, is it not so? Go into your 

 garden at the end of February and look at your 

 climbers, or your standards or dwarfs in March. See 

 even your most treasured and delicate varieties shoot- 

 ing and pushing out leaves, whilst the hedgerow hesi- 

 tates, and the elm tree has scarce reddened with bud. 



What is natural but that warm days should be 

 followed by cold, and that all growth should be 

 dhecked? The cultivated Rose cannot stand frost, and 

 the tender leaves soon wither, and in this state a tree 

 is liable to disease, and you will even notice that green 

 fly soon take advantage of its weakened condition. 

 Again, the early appearance of Rose foliage when other 

 tender leaves are scarce, gives the various insects the 

 early chance they require of propagating their species. 

 What is sweeter than a rose? And, thinks the insect, 

 what is sweeter than a Rose leaf or tender stalk in 

 which to lay my eggs and hatch out my larvae? 



It is the early appearance of such sweetness that is 

 the downfall of the Rose. x'\s the season advances and 

 leaves grow strong enemies become fewer, because 

 there is more to feed on elsewhere. Nevertheless, the 

 Rose is hardly ever free from some pest or another. 



The bp'^t little book is.^ned on Rose pests is the 

 National Rose Society's booklet given to every mem- 

 ber. It is called " T,he Enemies of the Rose." In this 

 book a number of insect pests are considered, as also 

 diseases caused by fungi. Excellent plates, too, are 

 given, showing these marauders, so that they can be 

 discovered more surely than a criminal at large wthose 

 portrait appears in the daily Press. For this little book 



