INSECTS AND DISEASES. 97 



beneath and above. The frequent and vig- 

 orous application of water is as hateful to the 

 insects described as it is to fighting cats, and 

 every one who grows roses (or cats) should be 

 provided with that most useful instrument the 

 garden syringe ; it is a most valuable weapon 

 of defence or of offence, whether used in 

 keeping off the Rose Hopper or in dispersing 

 the caterwauling midnight marauders that 

 may come within range. 



There are some insects which entomologists 

 claim to be useful, as destroying those which 

 are noxious ; such are the larvae of the gar- 

 den beetle, rose beetle, ladybird and others, 

 which feed upon aphides and caterpillars. I 

 know nothing of the truth of this from per- 

 sonal observation, and do not see how their 

 aid can be considered of any great value, 

 since the solutions, etc. , which are necessary 

 to apply when noxious insects make their 

 appearance, would be pretty certain to de- 

 stroy friend and foe alike. I have much 

 more confidence in the help to be obtained 

 from the despised toad, and some of the 

 birds, especially the ground-bird and spar- 

 row ; the toad will devour many of the worms 

 and caterpillars, the birds will destroy not 

 only these, but also the insects which infest 

 the plants. The aid of the birds might be 

 7 



