INSECTS INJURIOUS TO PLANTS. 83 
Ross Stue.—The Rose Slug has, within a few years, 
proved very destructive to the Rose, in the vicinity of 
Boston, and probably in other parts 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 thé 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, when 
anew 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 described before, may be called Selandria rosa, 
