4 
ELLWANGER d' BARRY'S 
Inserts. These are the bugbear* which prevent many from cultivating the 
Queen of Flowers, but they offer little discouragement to loyal subjects, for gen¬ 
erally it is only the careless and indolent who greatly suffer from these pests. 
If proper attention is paid to soil, planting, watering, etc., and a few simple 
directions heeded, you will not often be greatly troubled. The Aphis is among 
the most annoying foes, and particularly infests plants in houses; healthy plants 
in the garden are but little liable to their attacks. There are numerous recipes 
for their destruction, and the cultivator can use those which are found most con¬ 
venient and efficacious. 
It has recently been learned that the vapor of tobacco is not only very effec¬ 
tive in destroying insects where it can be confined, as in green-houses, but it is 
less in jurious to delicate plants than either the smoke or liquid. Hence, instead 
of fumigating green-houses it is customary now to strew the ground under the 
plants with tobacco stems, which being moistened by the syringing creates a 
vapor which is destructive to insect life. This method will probably supersede 
the old way of fumigating with tobacco smoke, which we have always found 
up to the present time, the best mode where appliances can be had for confining 
the smoke; this, however, is not very convenient for use in dwelling houses, but 
we have other excellent remedies which are more practicable. Take four ounces 
of quassia chips and boil them ten minutes in a gallon of soft water; strain off 
the chips and add four ounces of soft soap, which should be dissolved in it as it 
cools, stirring well before using. It may be applied with a clean painter’s brush 
of moderate or small size, brushing every leaf and shoot that is infested. After 
fifteen or twenty minutes have elapsed, the plants should be washed or syringed 
with pure water. Another good remedy is the same as the above, only tobacco 
stems—say a quarter of a pound — are used instead of quassia 
In the month of May, or so soon as the leaves have pushed forth, the rose 
caterpillar makes its appearance; he can readily be detected, for he glues a leaf 
or two together to form his shelter. Every day the bushes should be gone over, 
and these glued leaves pinched between the fingers and thumb, so as to crush the 
caterpillar; let no fastidious grower neglect this, or be induced to try other rem¬ 
edies; this is the only one that is simple and effective. For other insects, 
such as the saw fly, larva, and all such as come at a later date than 
the caterpillar, an occasional syringing, vigorously applied, will prove an 
excellent preventive. When they have made their appearance, a sprinkling of 
powdered white hellebore, over the plants, will often destroy or disperse them; 
but the plants should be well moistened before the hellebore is applied, so that it 
will remain. The red spider may be generally kept off by keeping the plants 
daily syringed with water. When plants are once infested with this dreaded 
insect, the fumes of sulphur will alone disperse or destroy them. This applica¬ 
tion will, of course, cause the foliage to drop off. but it is the only remedy we 
know to be efficacious. The red spider very seldom attacks plants in open air, 
but confines itself to the plants under glass. 
For the rose bug, hand picking must be resorted to, for, like the red spider, 
it is proof against hellebore, whale-oil soap, and all such applications. 
Mildew. The disease is generally caused by extremes of heat and cold, 
and by a long continuance of damp, cloudy weather. The best remedies are 
sulphur and soot; one of these should be applied the moment the disease makes 
its appearance. It is a good plan to previously sprinkle the plants with water, so 
that the substance applied will adhere. 
