166 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CHAP. 
of the plant, which seem to be semi-transparent in 
patches as if the colouring matter had been eaten 
away but the leaf not actually pierced. In sucha 
case the upper and under sides of the leaves should 
be carefully examined, and good eyes will soon 
detect the culprits. These are small slug-like larve, 
tapering in width towards the tail, and exactly the 
colour of the leaves so that they are very readily 
overlooked. They are easily destroyed when found, 
as they make no attempt to escape, but as they do 
not appear till Midsummer, when eyes are natu- 
rally more occupied with the blooms, they often 
escape notice. As far as I have seen they always 
work gradually up from the lowest leaves, and 
I have never known them do any harm to the 
buds. 
The other saw-fly is also late in its visitations, and 
fortunately not very common, as it is, [ think, with- 
out exception the most destructive insect among 
Roses that I know. The female deposits her ege 
in the top of the strongest shoot she can find that 
has not yet formed a bud, and thereby absolutely 
prevents it from doing so, without any remedy that 
I can see. The grub when hatched bores straight 
down into the pith of the shoot for an inch or two ; 
the leaves do not flag till the harm has taken place, 
and only a tiny black spot in the top of the shoot, 
which seems to have stopped growing, reveals the 
mischief that has been done. Cut off about an 
inch of the top of the stem and you will find it 
hollow; at the bottom of the excavation a fat 
maggot of a transparent white colour may be seen: 
and pray do not omit to execute summary justice, 
for it will be readily understood that this is a most 
