CATALOGUE OF ROSES. 5) 

“Insects. These are the dugbears which prevent many from cultivating the 
Queen of Flowers, but they offer little discouragement to loyal subjects, for generally 
it is only the careless and indolent who greatly suffer from these pests. If proper atten-’ 
tion is paid to soil, planting, watering, etc., and a few simple directions heeded, you will 
not often be greatly troubled. The Aphis is among the most annoying foes, and par- 
ticularly infest plants in houses ; healthy plants in the garden are but little liable to 
their attacks. There are numerous recipes for’their destruction, and the cultivator 
can use those which are found most convenient and efticacious. 
The vapor of tobacco is not only very effective in destroying insects hee it can 
be confined, as in greenhouses, but it is less injurious to delicate plants than either 
the smoke or the liquid. Hence, instead of fumigating greenhouses it is customary 
now to strew the ground under the plants with tobacco stems, which being moistened 
by the syringing creates a vapor which is destructive to insect life. This method will 
probably supersede the old way of fumigating with tobacco smoke, which we have 
always found up to the present time, the best mode where appliances can be had for 
confining the smoke ; this, however, is not very convenient for use in dwelling 
houses, but we have other excellent remedies which are more practicable. Take four 
ounces of quassia chips, and boil them ten minutes in a gallon of soft water ; strain 
off the chips and add four ounces of soft soap, which should be dissolved in it as it 
cools, stirring well before using. It may be applied with a clean painter’s brush of 
moderate or small size, brushing every leaf and shoot that is infested. After fifteen 
or twenty minutes have elapsed, the plants should be washed or syringed with pure 
water. Another good remedy is the same as above, only tobacco stems—say a quar- 
ter of a pound—are used instead of quassia. ; 
In the month of May, or so soon as the leaves have pushed forth, the rose cater- 
pillar makes its appearance ; he can readily be detected, for he glues a leaf or two to- 
gether to form his shelter. Every day the bushes should be gone over, and these 
glued leaves pinched between the finger and thumb, so as to crush the caterpillar ; 
let no fastidious grower neglect this, or be induced to try other remedies ; this is the 
only one that is simple and effective. For other insects such as the saw fly, 
larvee, and all such as come at a later date than the caterpillar, an occasional syring- 
ing, vigorously applied, will prove an excellent preventive. When they have made 
their appearance a_ sprinkling of powdered white hellebore over the plants will 
often destroy or disperse them; but the plants should be well moistened before the 
hellebore is applied, so that it will remain. The red spider may be generally kept off 
by keeping the plants daily syringed with water. When plants are once infested with 
this dreaded insect, the fumes of sulphur will alone disperse or destroy them. This 
application will, of course, cause the foliage to drop off, but it is the only remedy we 
know to be efficacious. The red spider very seldom attacks plants in the open air, 
but confines itself to the plants under glass. 
For the rose bug, hand picking must be resorted to, for, like the red spider, it is 
proof against hellebore, whale-oil soap and all such applications. 
Mildew, This disease is generally caused by extremes of heat and cold, and by 
along continuance of damp, cloudy weather. The best remedies are sulphur and 
soot ; one of these should be applied the moment the disease makes its appearance. It 
is a good plan to previously sprinkle the plants with water, so that the substance ap- 
plied will adhere. 
