130 DESTROYING INSECTS. [chap. v. 
fall from the branches, and may be gathered 
up and destroyed. An excellent preventive 
remedy is to Wash the stems and branches of 
deciduous rose-trees, in winter, with water 
heated to 200°, or with a mixture of strong 
tobacco-water and soft-soap; cleaning the 
branches well at the same time with a soft 
brush. The American blight which infests 
apple-trees is another species of aphis, and 
may be destroyed in the same manner. 
Besides the insects already enumerated, 
there are several kinds of beetles, which 
devour plants both in the larva and perfect 
state. Of these, the cockchafer remains in 
the larva state four years, and is one of the 
most destructive insects known; the rose 
beetle, or rose chaffer (Cetonia aurata) is 
extremely beautiful, from its splendid wing 
cases of burnished green and gold. These 
beetles, notwithstanding their shape, which 
looks too heavy and clumsy for flying, may 
frequently, in hot summer weather, be seen 
upon the wing, making a loud buzzing noise. 
When taken up in the hand, they draw up 
their feet, and appear to be dead; but, after 
having been handled, and even tossed about 
