' 
5 
Insect Enemies. 
It is a remarkable fact in the wise econo¬ 
my of nature that destructive insects do not 
increase largely in number from year to 
year. A sudden increase in one year is 
likely to be followed the next by an almost 
total disappearance of the same variety. 
Do not allow yourself, therefore, to think 
you cannot grow Roses because the slugs or 
the bugs are so bad this year—a little per¬ 
severance to help your plants survive the 
present attack is probably all that is needed 
next year you may not be troubled with 
them at all. 
In guarding against the attacks of insects 
it is well to remember that half the battle 
depends on keeping the plants healthy, and 
in strong growing condition. 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 so much as to be let alone. 
As it is much easier to destroy a few in- 
%/ 
sects when they first appear, than the count¬ 
less thousands which they soon produce it 
is important to watch closely the first at¬ 
tack. 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 bush. Remedy, 
Tobacco Smoke. This is easily applied by 
covering the plant with a box or barrel, 
or even a quilt and putting under a pan of 
burning Tobacco; the smoke should remain 
on an hour or more. If the insects are 
very bad it may take frequent applications 
but it it a sure cure. A strong tea of to¬ 
bacco will answer the same purpose, if 
more convenient to apply. The infected 
part may be dipped in, or the whole plant 
may be sprinkled as often as may be neces¬ 
sary. For house plants when Tobacco is 
not desirable, a hot water bath is almost 
equally effective. The water should be as 
hot as the hand can bear, and the whole 
top of the plant dipped in two or three 
times in succession; but should not remain 
more than two seconds at a time. 
THE ROSE SLUG 
is a much worse enemy than the Aphis, bu t 
it too, can easily be kept in check by pro¬ 
per attention. The body of the Slug is 
green and soft, almost transparent, like 
jelly, they eat the surface of the leaves, 
leaving the veins and skeletons untouched, 
and they multiply so rapidly that they de¬ 
stroy all the foliage of the largest number 
of bushes.in a few hours. One plan is to 
dust the plant thickly with powdered or 
air -slacked lime, plaster of Paris, road dust 
or ashes, and repeat vigorously as often as 
may be required. Or, the plants may be 
thoroughly sprinkled and washed with a 
strong suds, made of soap and salt. A re¬ 
cent writer says the following remedy is 
thoroughly effective, cheap, and quicl.ly 
applied: Dissolve one tablespoonful of pow- 
derd White Helebore in two gallons of 
of boiling water; when cool apply to the 
Roses with a whisk broom, bending the 
rows of the plants over, and dashing on 
the water in a fine spray, so as to reach the 
under side of the leaves as well as the up¬ 
per. The Helebore can be had of any 
druggist, and one application is usually 
sufficient for a season. 
THE ROSE BUG 
is well known to cultivators as one of their 
most desperate enemies. The only cure 
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 in the 
morning. As in other matters, constant 
vigilance is the price of success. 
MILDEW. 
When plants suddenly become covered 
with a whitish looking mould the disease 
is known as mildew. Unless a very severe 
attack it will not probably kill them, only 
retard their growth. It is belived to be in¬ 
duced by atmospheric causes, or sudden 
changes of temperature or moisture. For out 
door plants, a thorough stirring of the soil, 
with a view to encourage strong growth, 
is probably the best thing that can be done. 
