ENEMIES. 63 



FUNGI. 



Frequently full-gTown trees are found to show signs of rapid decay. These are recognized by 

 the gradually dying of the smaller limbs and their falling off, in consequence of the rotting of the 

 wood surrounding their base; and after having been cast off a hole or diseased sixit remains in 

 the trunk, which is infested by a large fungus of the genus Pohjporits (punk holes, punk stools). 

 The heartwood of such trees is of a reddish color, soft, sappy, and full of small channels, caused 

 by the breaking down of the walls of the wood cells, tilled with the mycelium, the so-called spawn 

 of the fungus, the threads of which also penetrate the medullary rays. Such puuky or red-heart 

 timber is found mostly on the ridges in the poorest soil. Apparently superannuated trees are most 

 frequently found afllicted with this rot. 



The Longleaf Tine, throughout its existence, is exposed to the danger of destruction by the 

 ravages of insects, hosts of which, belonging to various orders, are found to infest it from the 

 earliest stages of its development. Upon the tufts of the tender primary leaves of the seedling 

 are often found feeding large numbers of a yellow, black-striped caterpillar, the larviB of a species 

 of sawfly (Lophi/rus). 



The cambium of trees felled in the latter part of tlie summer is soon found swarming with the 

 larval brood of bark beetles, which after a short time infest the trees growing near by, causing, as 

 has been again and again observed, the death particularly of the trees of younger growth over 

 extensive areas. Hence the necessity of stopping the practice of felling trees during the summer 

 season. According to information kindly furnished by Mr. Schwarz, of the Entomological Division 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture, most if not all the species of the bark beetles 

 the family Tomicithv have more than one annual generation, and in the Southern States tliey have 

 in all probability, three. The summer generation develops in a very short time, possibly within 

 four or live weeks, and the perfect beetles issuing from the trees felled in August will in Septem- 

 ber attack the healthy trees near by for want of more suitable food. The ravages spoken of by 

 Michaux refer, no doubt, to these species of Tomicidw beetles which enter the solid wood of trees 

 e. g., (hiathofrichus inuteriarius and Xylcborus jmbescem. The galleries of these timber beetles 

 or allied species are found to penetrate the wood to the heart. The grating noise made by the 

 larvffi of the large ceramboid beetle, the Moiiohammns, while engaged in its work of destruction 

 frequently strikes the ear in the forest. That there is a large number of species belonging to 

 different orders i^reyiug on the Longleaf Pine and more or less destructive to the life of this tree is 

 apparent from the following communication ft'om Mr. Schwarz: 



Tho number of insects to be found on the Longleaf Pine is very large and comprises species of most orders, but 

 a complete list of tbem has never been publislied and the habits of most of them have never been carefully studied. 

 Only those which are really injurious to the tree need to be considered. 



Order Hiimenoptera: Several species of sawtlies (Tcnthredinido-), occasionally verj' injurious to the younger tress, 

 the larvin defoliating the branches. The species tliMs far observed are Loiihi/run Jbbotii, Leach; Lophijrus Lecaiitei, 

 Fitch, and three or four less common sjiecies. 



Order CoUoptcra, slip B : Kound-headed borers (larv;e of Cerambi/cichr) att'ect the trees similarly to the Buprcntidif, 

 but their burrows are always cylindrical, and some species bore only under the bark. The most abundant and 

 destructive is Monohammnx litillator, Fabr., but there are many other species, of which the following is a partial list: 

 ScaphiniiH 8ohwrkollis, Lee. ; Asciiium moestiiiii, Hald. ; Criocej>hali(S niibilutt, Lee. ; Eiipoyoniiis lomeiitosus, Hald. ; Jcantlio- 

 cinii8 nodosits, Fabr. In the family Curculionida; the worst enemy of the pine tree in the more Northern States, 

 Piaxodes strobi is rare in the region of the Longleaf Pine, but another species, Paehylobiiin picivoriis, Germ., the larvic 

 of which bore under the bark, is quite common and greatly injurious to tho Longleaf Pine. Of its more dangerous 

 enemies tho Scolytid beetles, which mostly bore their galleries under the bark, only a few species entering the solid 

 wood, the following are known to infest Phuis j)aliitlri.s: Piti/ophihoriin pulcarim, Zim. ; /'. unnectiux, Lee; Tomicus 

 calliij)-ai)hus,ijeT.; T. anihus, Eich. ; T. caco/jraphus, Lee; Crypiuryiis atoiniis, Lee; Dindrocloniis terebrans, Oliv. ; 

 D.froiilalia, Zira.; Hijlastes porcnlus, Er. ; H. esilin, Chap. 



Tho few species entering the solid wood are Platypus quadrldentatus, ()\i\-. ; Gnathotrivhiis materiariu«, Fitch, and 

 XyloljoriiK piibescenn, Zim. Most of these Scolytid.c. are extremely numerous in specimens, and although they usually 

 infest injured or diseased trees, yet in cases of excessive multiplication or for want of proper food they often attack 

 healthy trees, which within one or two years succumb to their attacks. 



