CATALOGUE OF ROSES. 



Insects. These are the bugbears 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 

 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 most convenient and efficacious. 



The vapor of tobacco is not only very effective in destroying insects where 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 quarter of a pound — are used instead of quassia. 



In the month of May, or as 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, larvae, and all such as come at a later date than the caterpillar, an occasional 

 syringing, 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 a long 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 

 applied will adhere. 



