INSECTS INJURIOUS TO PLANTS. 91 



the grub, or the pupa state ; the enemy, in these stages, 

 is beyond our reach, and is subject to the control only of 

 the natural but unknown means appointed by the Author 

 of Nature to keep the insect tribes in check. When they 

 have issued from their subterranean retreats, and have 

 congregated upon our vines, trees, and other vegetable 

 productions, in the complete enjoyment of their propensi- 

 ties, we must unite our efforts to seize and crush the in- 

 vaders. They must indeed be crushed, scalded, or burned, 

 to deprive them of life, for they are not affected by any 

 of the applications usually found destructive to other in- 

 sects. Experience has proved the utility of gathering 

 them by hand, or of shaking them or brushing them from 

 the plants into tin vessels containing a little water. They 

 should be collected daily during the period of their visi- 

 tation, and should be committed to the flames, or killed 

 by scalding water. The late John Lowell, Esq., states 

 that, in 1823, he discovered, on a solitary apple-tree, the 

 Rose-bugs ' in vast numbers, such as could not be describ- 

 ed and would not be believed if they were described ; 

 or, at least, none but an ocular witness could conceive 

 of their numbers. Destruction by hand was out of the 

 question,' in this case. He put sheets under the tree, and 

 shook them down, and burned them. Dr. Green, of 

 Mansfield, whose investigations have thrown much light 

 on the history of this insect, proposes protecting plants 

 with millinet, and says that in this way only did he suc- 

 ceed in securing his grape-vines from depredation. His 

 remarks also show the utility of gathering them. 

 ' Eighty-six of these spoilers,' says he, ' were known to 

 infest a single rose-bud, and were crushed w- ith one grasp 

 of the hand.' Suppose, as was probably the case, that 

 one-half of them were females ; by this destruction, eight 

 hundred eggs, at least, were prevented from becoming ma- 

 tured. During the time of their prevalence, Rose-bugs 



