The Rescue of an Old Place 



Birches look like a design in skeleton 

 leaves. 



This year our hopes were roused by a 

 remedy called sludgite, which was war- 

 ranted to kill, not only the rose-bug, but 

 the Colorado beetle and all other insects 

 fatal to vegetation. Though scoffed at 

 by incredulous friends, we dared to send 

 for a can of this evil-smelling mixture, and 

 applied it to the creature, with whom it 

 undoubtedly disagrees. It is made of the 

 residue of petroleum and soap, and smells 

 to heaven, but, alas ! the rose - bug has 

 no nose, at least no nose that takes 

 offense at bad odors. Sludgite is a thick, 

 semi-solid substance that mingles readily 

 with water and is applied by a spraying 

 pump or a hand syringe, and kills by con- 

 tact. The rose-bug and the Colorado 

 beetle keel over with all their heels in the 

 air as soon as the gummy fluid comes in 

 contact with their wing coverings, but, 

 curiously enough, it seems to have no 

 power to destroy the larva of the potato- 

 bug, and, not being a poison, it seems to 

 have no deterring effect upon the little 

 worm that eats the leaves of Rose bushes, 

 184 



