INSECTS INJURIOUS TO PLANTS. 83 



Rose Slug. — The Rose Slug has, within a few years, 

 proved very destructive to the Rose, in the vicinity of 

 Boston, and probably in other j^arts of the country ; so 

 much so, that many persons have almost abandoned the 

 cultivation of this most desirable of all flowers. Several 

 years since, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society of- 

 fered the liberal special premium of $100 for an efficient 

 remedy. An application of diluted whale-oil soap was 

 discovered, by Mr. David Haggerston, to be a complete 

 remedy, when seasonably applied, and the premium was 

 awarded to him. We insert on a subsequent page his 

 communication to the Society, in which he details the 

 mode of preparation and application. 



The Rose Slug, if not checked in season, destroys the 

 foliage, and the plants look as if they had been scorched 

 by fire. We have known delicate growing roses killed 

 to the ground by these small, but destructive insects. 



One great objection to the use of whale-oil soap is the 

 disagreeable odor it gives to the plant, and, if applied 

 at the time the roses are in bloom, it spoils them entirely. 

 When the insect is in the fly-state, it may be found in 

 great numbers on the under side of the leaves. The 

 whale-oil soap will destroy it in that state, if it is applied 

 with a syringe, or garden engine. 



If the application is made in season, and followed up, 

 every two or days, till the roses begin to open their buds, 

 the slug will either be exterminated, or so far checked as 

 to preserve the foliage till the bloom is about over, Avhen 

 a new attack must be made upon the surviving vermin, 

 which by this time have acquired their full size. It takes 

 two or three days to rid the plants of the disagreeable 

 odor, after the application. We give Dr. Harris' descrip- 

 tion of the insect entire : — 



" The Saw-fly of the rose, which, as it does not seem to 

 have been descrPoed before, may be called Selandria rosce. 



