CATALOGUE OF ROSES. 4) 
better for a light covering. This may be done by hilling up with earth ; or bet- 
ter, by strewing leaves or straw lightly over the plants and securing them with 
evergreen branches, oftentimes the latter are in themselves sufficient. 
Insects. These are the bugbears which prevent many from cultivating the 
Queen of Flowers, but they offer little discouragement to loyal subjects, for gen- 
erally it is only the careless and indolent who greatly suffer from these pests. 
If proper attention 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 particularly 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 con- 
venient and efficacious. 
The vapor of tobacco is not only very effective in destroying insects where 
it can be confined, as in green-houses, but it is less injurious to delicate plants 
than either the smoke or the liquid. Hence, instead of fumigating green-houses 
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 the above, only tobacco stems—say 
a quarter of a pound—are used instead of quassia. 
In the month of May, or so soon as the leaves have pushed forth, the rose 
caterpillar makes its appearance ; he can readily be detected, for he glues a leaf 
or two together 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, larva, and all such as come at a later date than the cater- 
pillar, an occasional syringing, vigorously applied, will prove an excellent pre- 
ventive. 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 re- 
main. 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 applica- 
tion 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. The disease is generally caused by extremes of heat and cold, 
