THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 155 



undertaken by persons who are afraid to elinili, or a fall and serious 

 injury is (luite liable to result. The pruuer should wear soft soled or 

 nil)bor soled shoes, not only for his protection but to avoid the bruising 

 and destruction of the bark, the injury and removal of which is exceed- 

 ingly advantageous to the entrance of beetles and destructive fungi. 

 This matter of proper shoes is very important and parties contracting 

 for the pruning of their trees should insist upon the wearing of the 

 soft soled shoes. 



The cutting out and burning of infested parts should be undertaken 

 some time between the first of October and the first of April. It should 

 be remembered that if the dead twigs are cut out before the first of 

 April the insects are killed Avith the removal of the dead wood and a 

 reinfestation is thereby avoided. Observations made at Palo Alto, 

 extending over a period of years seem to indicate that the insect does 

 not fly any great distances, and that the beetle confines its egg-laying 

 for the most part to the trees in which it underwent its development, 

 consequently a reinfestation in the case of trees that have been cleaned 

 up. from outside trees containing the twig girdlers, will be very slow. 



A tliorough cutting out of the dead portions of the tree will greatly 

 improve tlie general appearance, and will demand thereafter only a 

 little attention to keep it in a healthy, vigorous condition. 



