NEW GUIDE TO ROSE CULTURE. 



dition. Good rich soil and thorough cultivation are the best insect preventives. 

 Frequent stirring of the ground with hoe and rake, besides benefiting the plants, 

 is injurious and annoying to all insects whose eggs or young are deposited in 

 the earth, and who want nothing so much as to be let alone. As it is much 

 easier to destroy a few insects when they first appear, than the countless thou- 

 sands which soon follow, it is important to watch closely the first attack, and 

 apply the needful remedies at once. 



The Aphis or Green Fly attacks the young growth, and will first be found at 

 the extremities of the branches. It feeds on the juices of the Plant, and will 

 soon starve and sicken the whole bush. Remedy, Tobacco Smoke. This is 

 easily applied by covering the plants with a box or barrel, or even a quilt, and 

 putting under a pan of burning tobacco ; the smoke should remain on a half 

 hour or more. If the insects are very bad it may take two applications, but it 

 is a sure cure. 



The Rose Slug is a much worse enemy than the Aphis, but it, too, can easily 

 be kept in check by proper attention. Their first attack may be expected early 

 in June, and their second in August, particularly during the prevalence of dry 

 weather. The body of the Slug is green and soft, almost transparent, like jelly ; 

 they eat the upper surface of the leaf, leaving the veins and skin beneath 

 untouched, and they multiply so rapidly that they will destroy all the foliage of 

 the largest bushes in a few hours. A good plan is to dust the plants thickly 

 with powdered or air-slacked lime, plaster of Paris, road dust, or ashes, and re- 

 peat vigorously as often as may be required. Or, the plants may be thoroughly 

 sprinkled and washed with a strong suds, made of soft soap. When it can be 

 obtained, the best remedy is probably whale oil soap — one pound dissolved in 

 eight gallons of water is the right strength. This soap is now kept on sale at 

 most agricultural stores, and is a powerful enemy to all insect life. 



The Rose Bug is well known to cultivators as one of their most desperate 

 enemies. It comes without warning, and alighting directly on the partially 

 ©pe-ned buds, which have been watched and tended with so much solicitude, 

 devours them at once, or knaws voraciously into the heart of each. Truly, 

 there can be no truce -svith this wretched pest ; he must be met and conquered. 

 Unfortunately, he cares for none of the usual remedies ; he seems to bear a 

 charmed life. The only remedy is hand picking. This is not a serious mat- 

 ter, but can easily be done if taken in time ; the bugs being large, may be 

 quickly brushed or picked into a vessel containing water, after which they 

 should be burned. The best time to gather them is early in the morning. As 

 in most other matters, eternal vigilance is the price of success. 



Red Spider is a very minute insect, first appearing in the under side of the 

 leaves, and though difficult to see unless present in considerable numbers, its 

 effects are quickly noticeable by the browned or deadened appearance of the 

 leaves. It flourishes best in a hot, dry atmosphere, either indoors or out; 

 moisture is its greatest enemy. Sprinkle or wash your plants frequently, and 

 you will not be troubled with spider. In bad attacks it may be necessary to 

 sponge the under side of the leaves daily. 



Mildew. — One of our customers writes that her Roses have grown well, but 

 that the leaves have suddenly become covered with a whitish looking mold or 

 dust — what has been the cause and what is the remedy ? This disease is known 

 as mildew, unless a very severe attack it will not probably kill the plants, but 



