301 



geously. It is given in substance from the Rural Xew Yorker of July 



7, 1888: 



The rose-bugs appeared suddenly on the Rural Grounds in such swarms that their 

 appearance was hardly known until they had half destroyed the grape blossoms. On 

 the morning of the 20th (June, presumably) two hours were spent in spraying rose- 

 bushes, grape-vines, and a Magnolia macrophylla about hi feet high, with Buhach 

 water. The bugs were devouring this latter by hundreds. In fifteen minutes after 

 spraying, thousands of the bugs were found wriggling upon the ground while the tree 

 was virtually cleared of them. Twenty or more of those on the grass were placed 

 in a tomato can and covered with a gauze so as to confine them without excluding 

 air. These soon became paralyzed, and in the evening were apparently dead. Those 

 on the grass crawled about in an aimless way. Towards evening some were found 

 apparently dead. The others had disappeared. Here and there a bug was found on the 

 leaves of the tree. The grape-vines and rose-bushes were also nearly free of the pest 

 during the rest of the day. The next day thousands of rose-bugs were again upon 

 the roses and grape-vines, though few could be seen on the magnolia. All were again 

 sprayed with the same effect as that above recorded, and further spraying has not 

 since been deemed necessary. 



Col. A. W. Pearson, of New Jersey, states that the " eau celeste " 

 (solution of sulphate of copper with ammonia) is not only the best remedy 

 for mildew, but also at the same time an effective poison to the Macro- 

 dactylus. 



The trouble with all these remedies is that the beetles during their 

 brief season continue to issue from the ground and to congregate upon 

 their favored plants in such numbers, under favorable circumstances, 

 that however fatal an application may be it has to be continued, and 

 the most persistent may justly become discouraged in a fight with these 

 beetles when they are abnormally abundant and swarm to the extent 

 we have known them. 



As early as 1829 Dr. E. Green, as quoted by Harris, urged as a pre- 

 ventive measure the covering of the grape-vines with millinet, but, 

 however valuable such a method may be for choice vines in limited 

 numbers, it would evidently be too costly for large vineyards or for 

 larger fruit-trees. 



Another protective measure (first suggested in the Rural New Yorker 

 May 19, 1883) is to dust the plants with air-slaked lime or gypsum, 

 and Prof. C. M. Weed has suggested as an improvement upon it (7th 

 Ann. Kept. Ohio Agr. Exp. St., 1888, p. 151) a liberal spraying of 

 lime water, from one-half to one peck of lime to a barrel of water. Mr. 

 E. A. Dunbar, of Ashtabula, Ohio, who tried this " whitewashing" of 

 his grape-vines and peach trees, reports most satisfactory results. 



Many other means that have been tried against this pest are not 

 worthy of serious consideration. Such are the spraying of decoctions 

 of various plants with a view of rendering the leaves unpalatable ; 

 methods of hastening the blossoming of grape-vines or other plants by 

 artificial means. These and others that have been urged, even where 

 effective, are hardly likely to be generally employed; and in this case, 

 as with many other insects, success will only follow diligence in the 



