TREES, SHRUBS, VINES AND PLANTS. 383 



suddenly, hitting the insects before they have time to hop or fly 

 away. If a strong stream of water can be driven at them through 

 a garden hose, this may be sufficient without resorting to the in- 

 secticides. 



THE ROSE PLANT LOUSE OR APHIS. 



Small green plant lice or aphides are frequently met with on 

 roses during the spring and summer months, gathering most abun- 

 dantly on the buds and younger leaves. They are nearly always 

 wingless and increase very rapidly, from four to ten young being 

 produced almost every day by the adults. These pests feed by 

 sucking the juices from the plant, and when abundant on the buds 

 frequently blight them. They can be held in check by spraying 

 the plants with kerosene emulsion or soap, but it should be borne in 

 mind that as only those touched by the spray are killed, the spray- 

 ing must be very thorough to be successful, and if only a few es- 

 cape, there will be multitudes present again, in the course of three 

 or four weeks. 



THE ROSE CHAFER. 



These insects, often known as rose bugs or rose beetles, are 

 about half an inch long and light brown in color. They appear 

 about the time the roses begin to bud and seem to feed almost en- 

 tirely upon the buds and flowers, being present for three or four 

 weeks. They are not restricted to the rose for food, but attack 

 the buds and blossoms of various ornamental plants, besides the 

 blackberry, grape and fruit trees. 



The eggs are laid in the ground and the grubs feed on grass 

 roots, and pupate there. There is, therefore, no successful method 

 of attacking this insect, except during its adult condition. In 

 this stage, however, it is very hardy and resistant to poisons. It 

 can be destroyed by spraying with very strong arsenate of lead, 

 but even then, it is usually several days before it succumbs, and 

 during this time it continues feeding, while heavy spraying of the 

 plants while in bud and flower is hardly practicable. The only 

 successful treatment, therefore, is by hand-picking, or by jarring 

 the insects off onto cloths, from which they can be gathered and 



