Jan., '04] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 1 9 



Destructive Beetles: A Note on Landscape 



Gardening. 

 BY A. L,. MELANDER, Chicago. 



(Plate V.) 



The group of inland lakes feeding the Fox River in northern 

 Illinois has lately sprung into popularity. Pistakee Bay is one 

 of these pleasure resorts where the busy people of Chicago 

 find a summer's recreation. During the times of its inhabi- 

 tation by the Indians the region about this picturesque spot 

 had become thickly studded with a forest of oaks and hickory 

 extending far inward. The advent of the pioneer farmer in 

 1825 necessitated the clearance of the oak forest, but for prac- 

 tical, if not for aesthetic reasons a narrow fringe of timber 

 was left outlining the rolling gravel banks along the shore. 

 Twenty years ago sportsmen from Chicago discovered this re- 

 treat and advertised its popularity. 



The wooded shore line, which had been regarded as useless 

 farm land was surveyed and the lots found ready purchasers. 

 One of the first who chanced upon this delightful place was 

 especially assiduous in introducing " improvements," which 

 consisted chiefly in keeping the grass cropped and free from 

 fallen autumn leaves. 



All went well until about five years ago. Then the twigs 

 clipped by Elaphidion villosum became especially numerous. 

 Qrthosoma, Clytus and Saperdas flew nightly to the lighted 

 windows. The shelf-fungus, Polyponts, started growing on 

 some of the grander old oaks, and suddenly the fact was noticed 

 that the prided trees were better in a wood-pile. The accom- 

 panying photograph clearly shows their condition at the time. 



Why should not the dying trees have included the neigh- 

 bors ? A line of dead trunks practically marked the limits of 

 the property under notice, while on either side the trees were 

 still flourishing. The contour of the land will help to answer 

 this question. The lots mentioned were selected on account of 

 their wooded hills. On either side the land lies low, mucky 

 from the drainage of the higher ground. This conformation 

 manifests itself also in the character of the trees : in the low- 

 lands the oaks are magnificient, higher the hickories appear. 

 This difference in elevation, although less than twenty-five 



