86 breck's new book of flowers. 



of destroying these insects, was offered, in the summer of 

 1840. About ten years ago I observed them in gardens 

 at Cambridge, and then made myself acquainted with 

 their transformations. At that time they had not reached 

 Milton, my former place of residence, and have appeared 

 in that place only within two or three years. They now 

 seem to be gradually extending in all directions, and an 

 effectual method for preserving our roses from their at- 

 tacks has become very desirable to all persons who set any 

 value on this beautiful ornament of our gardens and shrub- 

 beries. Showering or syringing the bushes with a liquor, 

 made by mixing with water the juice expressed from to- 

 bacco by tobacconists, has been recommended ; but some 

 caution is necessary in making this mixture of a proper 

 strength, for, if too strong, it is injurious to the plants ; 

 and the experiment does not seem, as yet, to have been 

 conducted with sufficient care to insure safety and success. 

 Dusting lime over the plants when wet with dew has been 

 tried, and found of some use ; but this and all other reme- 

 dies will probably yield in efficacy to Mr. Haggerston's 

 mixture of w]iale-oil soap and water, in the proportion of 

 two pounds of the soap to fifteen gallons of water. Par- 

 ticular directions, drawn up by Mr. Haggerston himself, 

 for the preparation and use of this simple and cheap appli- 

 cation, may be found in the ' Boston Courier,' for the 25th 

 of June, 1841, and also in most of our agricultural and 

 horticultural journals of the same time. The utility of 

 this mixture has already been repeatedly mentioned in this 

 treatise, and it may be applied in other cases with advan- 

 tage. Mr. Haggerston finds that it effectually destroys 

 many kinds of insects; and he particularly mentions 

 plant-lice of various kinds, red spiders, canker-worms, and 

 a little jum])ing insect, which has lately been found quite 

 as hurtful to rose-bushes as the slugs or young of the 

 Saw-fly. The little insect, alluded to, has been mistaken 



