142 



PAKSCXS OX THE EOSE. 



reproduction, and its numerous progeny sometimes en- 

 tirely cover the leaves, the young sprouts, and the flower 

 buds. Devouring the sap, they are very injurious, and, 

 when numerous, sometimes destroy the plant, while they 

 soil every part on which they collect. The most common 

 species is of a pale green, but there is a variety of a dingy 

 yellow. Many are destroyed by small birds, but they 

 have other enemies, as the larvae of the Coccinellas^ or 

 Lady-birds, and other insects destroy large numbers. 

 The first eggs of the Green-fly are deposited in the au- 

 tumn, at the base of the buds, and are hatched in the early 

 part of the following spring. Generation after generation 

 is then rapidly produced, numbering sometimes eight or 

 ten before autumn. These are produced alive, and Avith- 

 out the intervention of the male. Reaumur estimated 

 that a single Aphis might produce six thousand millions in 

 one summer. The first hatching can be prevented by 

 washing the plant with soft soaj^ and water, or with whale- 

 oil soap, before the buds commence swelling. When the 

 plant is infested with them, it can be washed with tobac- 

 co-water and then rinsed in clean water. If in a house, 

 fumio-ation with tobacco is better. An Enoiish writer 

 recommends washing in a decoction of an ounce of quassia 

 to a quart of water, as a very eflective and safe remedy. 

 Fumigation is, however, the most thoroughly searching 

 remedy, and can be easily applied to plants in the open 

 air, by means of an empty barrel inverted over the plant, 

 and a pan of burning tobacco. 



Gall-Flies. — Several species of Cynips^ or Gall-flies, at- 

 tack the rose, their punctures, made for the purpose of 

 depositing their eggs, being followed by variously fonned 

 excrescences containing the larvae. The Bedequars, formed 

 by the puncture of the Cyrdps Mosce^ were formerly em- 

 ployed in medicine as astringents. Harris enumerates the 

 American species as follows : 



Cymps hicolor, — "Round, prickly galls, of a reddish 



