132 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



insects of any kind are found in the blooms of the common 

 Black Wattle, or, in fact, upon very few others, " Mulga " 

 perhaps excepted. In the early days of Victoria, an 

 infusion of the bark of the Black Wattle was considered 

 to be the only reliable remedy for dysentery, then so 

 frequent in the colony that very few of the earlier settlers 

 escaped its attacks. It might reasonably be supposed that 

 the astringent nature of the bark would render this wattle, 

 at any rate, partly immune from insect attack, but the 

 reverse is the case, as the wattle has more insect enemies 

 than even the Eucalypts. 



A case has recently come under notice of branches of 

 Plum trees having been " cut off " and a great deal of 

 damage done, and it is strongly suspected that one of the 

 native Longicorn beetles may prove to be the culprit. 

 This is a matter which will be carefully investigated, as, 

 although this beetle has never yet been known to attack 

 orchard trees, there is a possibility of its doing so. 



The beetle is also found in New South Wales, Queens- 

 land, and South Australia. It is generally found under 

 the loose and partly-dead bark of the wattle, which, as 

 before mentioned, is also a favourite resort for other kinds 

 of small beetles, such as Ips, &c, which feed on the 

 decomposed sapwood and bark of the tree 



There are several species of this genus described as 

 occurring in Australia ; the well-known Cerambyx, which 

 is a closely allied genus, is one of the most destructive 

 timber borers in other countries. 



Prevention and Remedies. 



On plantations, a strict watch should be kept for the 

 first appearance of the fine sawdust coming from the 

 trees. When such appears, wires dipped in either bi- 

 sulphide of carbon or carbolic acid should be at once 

 used as previously recommended. Where branches 



