Insect Destruction of firc-Kilied Timber. 



371 



This solution of the difficulty is not at the disposal of the small 

 man with a portable mill, for it requires a special outfit to saw 

 and match box boards. He might in some cases sell his burned 

 material to a box mill after sawing it out in the rough. 



Summary. Destruction of fire-killed timber is largely accom- 

 plished by Buprestid beetles, whose larvae riddle it. In from fif- 

 teen months to two years and a half they, in combination with 

 fungi, entirely destroy it for commercial purposes. 



The rate of damage varies with the locality of the timber and 

 the season of the fire, being at its maximum in moist localities, 

 following fires in the early part of the growing season- 



Remedies. Prevent fires, cut and remove fire-killed timber 

 at once, if this is not possible, bark burned and infested trees 

 and place them on skidways to season. Ponding is the best rem- 

 edy, but is not generally possible. Running of infested logs 

 through a log pond would destroy borers if the logs were left in 

 long enough. The use of poisonous solutions in the water should 

 be tried. 



Infested material can be used in small amounts for low grade 

 products, and for box boards ; but often it will not pay to 

 handle it. 



PRELIMINARY TABLE SHOWING RATE OF DESTRUCTION 

 OF FIRE KILLED TIMBER 



Season of Fire 



Spring 



Early Summer 



Late Sutnmer 



Fall 

 Winter 



Infested 



In a few motnhs 

 Immediately 

 Partially at once 



fully following season 

 Following Summer 

 Following Summer 



Literature 



Partially 

 Destroyed 

 That fall 

 That fall 

 Following fall 



Entirely 

 Destroyed 

 Following fall 

 Following fall 

 Two years 



Following fall Two-three yrs. 

 Following fall Two-three yrs. 



CasEv, T. L. Studies in the American Buprestidas. Proc. Wash. Acad. 

 Science. XL pp. 47-178, 1909. 



Hopkins, A. D. Insect enemies of the pine in the Black Hills Forest 

 Reserve. Bull. 32 N. S., Div. Ent. U. S. Dept. Agr. 1902. 



The Black Hills Beetle. Bull. 56, Bur. Ent. U. S. Dept. Agr. 1906. 



Hubbard, H. G. Ambrosia beetles of the United States. Bull, 7, N. S., 

 Div. Ent. U. S. Dept, Agr. 1897, pp. 9-30. 



Von SchrEnk, H. The "bluing" and the "red-rot" of the western 

 yellow pine, with special reference to the Black Hills Forest Reserve. 

 Bull. 36, Bur. PI. Ind. U. S. Dept. Agr. 1903. 



Webb, J. L. The Southern Pine Sawyer. Bull. 58. Pt. IV., Bur. Ent. 

 U. S. Dept. Agr. 1909. 



