178 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



long body. The same methods are adopted to kill both. A larger variety of thrips generally 

 affects Rose blooms in the open, more especially when the summer has been very dry. 

 These completely spoil the light-coloured flowers. There seems no way of getting rid of 

 these, and it is fortunate that the first shower is the best remedy. Syringing has been 

 resorted to in hopes of accomplishing the same end, but never with any material benefit. 



Scale is a small shell-covered, brown insect, ranging in size from a small to a large 

 pin's head. It is difficult to kill, and unless the plant be of much value, it is best to 

 burn it at once. Climbing Roses under glass are most affected by this pest. 



Caterpillars and grubs must be killed by hand ; so too must the leaf-curling maggots. 



No syringing seems to actu- 

 ally kill these without being 

 too strong for the Rose itself. 

 Pinch the curled leaf and 

 insect between the thumb 

 and finger. A little observa- 

 tion soon makes it easy to 

 distinguish between those 

 curled by the enemy, or 

 naturally curled before full 

 expansion, and perseverance 

 for a few days early in 

 the season will keep them 

 at bay for the rest of the 

 sum mer. 



Weevils are a great 

 nuisance during some seasons, 

 especially the night feeders. 

 They eat holes in both petals 

 and leaves, and also gnaw 

 around the pod of the bud 

 to such an extent as to quite 

 spoil it. Here, again, the 

 best method is hand catching. 

 Approach the plant very 

 WK^,^^mm^^mP s ^.^\^k T « quietly late in the evening, 



slip a sheet of paper below 

 it, and then flash a light on 

 it, the result being that many 

 may be caught before they 

 can drop and regain their 

 shelter. 



Amongst the worst 



and early summer pests are the stem-boring saw-flies and their larva?. These 

 lay their eggs in the points of shoots, and the maggot soon hatches, eats the pith out of the 

 stem, and causes it to die above. Many promising shoots and blooms are annually 

 ruined in this manner. Among the Standard Briars, too, they are particularly destructive, 

 generally eating through the pith of the Standard stem, and penetrating so deeply from 

 the top as to pass and kill the shoulder carrying Rose growth. It is a good plan, in districts 

 where these insects abound, to place a little mastic over the tops of Briar stems and wherever 

 an important branch is cut. Pitch, wax or a composite candle, in equal proportions, with 

 a very little resin, will make a good mastic if boiled down together. This may be applied 



THE ROSE GARDES AT BATTLE ABBEY. 



spring 



