IX 



PESTS 



147 



The presence of the first may be known by the 

 singular appearance of the lower and older leaves 

 of the plant, which seem to be semi-transparent 

 in patches as if the colouring matter had been 

 eaten away but the leaf not actually pierced. In 

 such a case the upper and under sides of the leaves 

 should be carefully examined, and good eyes will soon 

 detect the culprits. These are small slug-like larvae, taper- 

 ing in width towards the tail, and exactly the colour 

 of the leaves so that they are very readily overlooked. 

 They are easily destroyed when found as they make 

 no attempt to escape, but as they do not appear till 

 Midsummer, when eyes are naturally more occupied with 

 the blooms, they often escape notice. As far as I have 

 seen they always work gradually up from the lowest 

 leaves, and I have never known them do any harm to 

 the buds. 



The other saw-fly is also late in its visitations, and 

 fortunately not very common, as it is I think without 

 exception the most destructive insect among Roses 

 that I know. The female deposits her egg in the 

 top of the strongest shoot she can find that has 

 not yet formed a bud, and thereby absolutely prevents 

 it from doing so, without any remedy that I can see. 

 The grub when hatched bores straight down into the pith 

 of the shoot for an inch or two ; the leaves do not flag 

 till all the harm has taken place, and only a tiny black 

 spot in the top of the shoot, which seems to have 

 stopped growing, reveals the mischief that has been 

 done. Cut off about an inch of the top of the stem and 

 you will find it hollow ; at the bottom of the excavation 

 a fat maggot of a transparent white colour may be seen, 

 and pray do not omit to execute summary justice, for it 

 will be readily understood that this is a most dangerous 



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