INSECTS AND DISEASES. 97 
beneath and above. The frequent and vig- 
orous application of water is as hateful to the 
insects described as it is to fighting cats, and 
every one who grows roses (or cats) should be 
provided with that most useful instrument the 
garden syringe; it is a most valuable weapon 
of defence or of offence, whether used in 
keeping off the Rose Hopper or in dispersing 
the caterwauling midnight marauders that 
may come within range. 
There are some insects which entomologists 
claim to be useful, as destroying those which 
are noxious; such are the larve of the gar- 
den beetle, rose beetle, ladybird and others, 
which feed upon aphides and caterpillars. I 
know nothing of the truth of this from per- 
sonal observation, and do not see how their 
aid can be considered of any great value, 
since the solutions, etc., which are necessary 
to apply when noxious insects make their 
appearance, would be pretty certain to de- 
stroy friend and foe alike. I have much 
more confidence in the help to be obtained 
from the despised toad, and some of the 
birds, especially the ground-bird and spar- 
row; the toad will devour many of the worms 
and caterpillars, the birds will destroy not 
only these, but also the insects which infest 
the plants. The aid of the birds might be 
7 
