240 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



inspection of the foliage is made soon 

 after the first leaves appear on the bushes. 

 At this time the insects are so minute that it 

 requires careful search before they can be 

 seen. This is the proper time, however, to 

 commence the application of insecticides, as 

 if left until later, when hot, dry weather pre- 

 vails, it is almost impossible to eradicate 

 them from the bushes. 



An application of tobacco in some form or 

 other is the best and safest preventive of 

 the development and increase of the rose- 

 thrip. I have found that an application of 

 dry powdered tobacco leaf or dust, sprinkled 

 once or twice on the bushes as soon as 

 growth commences in early spring-, and the 

 operation repeated once a week until the 

 flower buds are developing, has proved very 

 successful in preventing the appearance of 

 these troublesome pests of the rose grower. 



A rather strong solution of tobacco water, 

 made by pouring boiling water on tobacco, 

 especialty the raw leaves or stems, is a good 

 preventive for the rose thrip. This solution 

 should also be applied early in the season 

 and at intervals as before recommended. 

 There are several preparations specially pre- 

 pared as insecticides that are very useful to 

 the rose-grower. Most of these prepara- 

 tions are largely composed of the essence of 

 tobacco and are perhaps easier to obtain 

 than raw tobacco. Nicoticide and Sulpho- 

 Tobacco soap may be mentioned as amongst 

 some of the best preparations of the kind. 

 It should be remembered however that one 

 application early in the season does more 

 good than perhaps three or four will do 

 later on when the insects have become well 

 established and numerous. A weak solu- 

 tion, made by dissolving about a teaspoonful 

 of whale oil soap in two quarts of water, 

 will prove of great service in preventing the 

 ravages of the rose thrip. The solution 

 should be applied with a syringe or wisk to 

 the underneath part of the foliage as much 

 as possible. 



Another enemy to the successful culture 

 of the rose, is the red spider. Climbing 

 roses are more liable to attacks from this 

 little pest than are bush roses. 



The red spider delights in a dry arid at- 

 mosphere, and roses that are trained near 

 to, or perhaps close to, a wall or fence, offer 

 splendid inducements for its attacks. These 

 pests are also very minute and oftentimes 

 hard to locate until they have done consider- 

 able mischief. The first intimation of their 

 presence is the unhealthy, whitish appear- 

 ance of the leaves, and finally the constant 

 dropping of the dried, half-devoured leaves; 

 unless they are stopped before they have 

 reached this stage. Constant syringing 

 and sprinkling with cold water is the best 

 preventive of the appearance of red spider, 

 as they cannot exist in a damp atmosphere. 

 It is almost impossible to prevent the at- 

 tacks of these little pests on climbing roses 

 planted close against a house or wall having 

 a south aspect. Those of our readers who 

 have roses planted in such a position will do 

 well to syringe or sprinkle their bushes with 

 water well up to the time of flowering, and 

 for the greater part of the summer after the 

 flowering period, if they would have good 

 healthy rose plants. An open, airy position 

 suits roses the best. If planted against a 

 wall or fence an east or north east aspect is 

 by far the best for their successful culture. 

 The aphis or small green fly is also trouble- 

 some to rose growers. Constant syringing, 

 or an application of tobacco water, usually 

 rids the bushes very effectually of these less 

 destructive insects than thrip, red spider, or 

 the rose slug. 



Those having rose bushes or similar plants 

 that are liable to attacks from insect pests: 

 will find by using the different insecticides 

 early in the season that much time and labor 

 can be saved, and much better results ob- 

 tained from their plants than by leaving the 

 application of remedies until the insects 

 have obtained a strong hold on the plants. 



