416 FOREST ENTOMOLOGY. 



As it is very difficult to apply any insecticide to trees collectively, 

 it becomes therefore a question how far we can apply any dressing to 

 ornamental or special trees individually, together with the cost of the 

 same. The best report I have received bearing on this is given by 

 my friend Mr Thomas Bond, Lambton Park, Co. Durham, regarding 

 treatment on old beech-trees badly infested with Cryptococcus fagi. 

 Taking as his guide the Board of Agriculture leaflet No. 140, and the 

 treatment No. 2, which is the same as that given in chap, ix., p. 348, 

 of this work, and mixed on a fairly large scale, he says : " We secured 

 a 25-gallon portable boiler and placed in it the following quantities — 

 viz., 2 gallons soft water, 4 lb. soft-soap, 4 handfuls sulphur, 4 pints 

 paraffin, and 4 pints turpentine. After boiling and mixing these in- 

 gredients, we added 16 gallons of soft water, and then allowed it to 

 cool before application. Then after well churning the mixture we 

 placed some in a paint-pot and rubbed it on the stems and large 

 branches with a large paint-brush, which we found better to use than 

 a whitewash - brush. We had, of course, to use ladders, but we 

 brushed it well into all the crevices of the bark. In this way we 

 went over 60 trees at a cost of about 4s. per tree, including labour 

 and materials. The operation was begun on the 3rd of May, but 

 was not completed till the 28th of the same month, owing to wet 

 weather retarding the work. In the month of August we noticed 

 very small specks of the ' felt ' appearing in the crevices of the bark, 

 possibly coming from larvae which had been secure from the reach of 

 the mixture. The treatment was certainly a success, and with another 

 slight application the following year we hope to be able to eradicate 

 the pest. Having regard to the size and value of the trees from a 

 park point of view, the expense was not excessive." 



There are, of course, many other practical points which might be 

 enlarged upon that go to keep down the injurious species of insects 

 in this country. We rarely hear of any species becoming such alarm- 

 ing pests in this country as on the Continent or in America. This 

 is probably due to the major portion of our forests being " mixed " 

 woods, as contrasted with " pure " woods abroad. The effect of this 

 is that there is no preponderating advantages to any single species of 

 injurious insect. 



Another point of importance which should receive special attention 

 is the encouragement of the various species of birds that live, or 

 partially live, on insects. The destruction of certain species of birds 



