242 



■severely attacked. The injury is first shown b}- a wilted appearance 

 of new growth at the ends of the twigs of spruce and balsam, the 

 needles or leaves of the new sj^ing growth having been gnawed 

 through at the base by the caterpillars. These become full-grown 

 during the first half of June, and pupate in the shelter of the severed 

 needles, which they have webbed together. The moths emerge in the 

 course of a week or two and fiy during the last week in June and 

 first half of July, depositing eggs in small masses on the sides of the 

 needles. 0\-iposition is completed before the end of July, and the 

 larvae, which hatch about a week later, feed for a short time and then 

 hibernate. It is in the following spring that they do the greatest 

 damage. Few trees are killed in the first year of attack, but after 

 a few years they may be entirely defoliated, while bark-beetles and 

 weevils frequently complete the destruction of already weakened 

 trees. 



Obser\'ations o'.i the extent of injury in various localities are re- 

 <:c)rded. White spruce seemed to possess some degree of immunity. 

 In balsam fir the larvae of Monochamus (Monohammus) scutcllatiis 

 were almost invariably found in recently killed trees. Many were 

 also infested by the balsam bark-beetle, Pityokfeines sparsus, Lee. 

 ( Ips halsamcus, Lee), and the weevil, Pissodes dubiits, in the trunk, 

 the smaller limbs and twigs harbouring the small bark-beetle, Cry- 

 phaliis balsamens, Hopk. Nearly all dead and dying spruce had the 

 bark riddled by the spruce bark-beetle. Polygraph us ntfipcniiis, Kirby, 

 and many also contained Dvyococtcs affabcr, Mannh. [piccac, Hopk.), 

 and in the tops and limbs Scolytus [Eccoptogaster) piceae, Sw. The 

 weevil, Pissodes nigrae, Hopk., as well as some of the above-named 

 bark-beetles, frequently hastens the death of weakened trees. 



The present infestation by T . fmniferaha is now decidedly decreasing, 

 and the trees, particularly spruce, are showing great recuperative 

 ability. It is hoped that, as was the case after the previous outbreak, 

 there may be a period of 20 to 40 years of freedom from any serious 

 or widespread injurv. 



Spraying the trees in spring with 5 lb. lead arsenate to 100 U.S. gals, 

 water is a good remed}', two applications being given with a ten days 

 interval when the buds are just opened, but this is only practicable 

 for ornamental trees. In the woodlands, natural enemies and para- 

 sites must be relied upon to overcome the pest. Woodland owners 

 can, however, lessen the danger of loss by proper logging methods. 

 If the stumps are reduced to the minimum, the tops utilised as far 

 as possible, and the slash properly disposed of, there is less oppor- 

 tunity for injurious insects to breed. Trees killed by T. fmniferana 

 are by no means valueless, as they will remain sound for several 

 years and can be utilised for pulpwood if they are not riddled by 

 wood-boring insects. 



Blackm.vx (M. W). Tile White Pine Weevil, with Methods of Control 

 and Recommendations for a Modified System of Planting White 

 Pine and Norway Spruce. — Maine Forestry Dept., .A^ignsta, 1919, 

 12 pp. [Received 16th March 1921.] 



The southern half of the State of ]\Iaine contains large forest tracts 

 in which white pine is the predominating tree, but the majoritj^ of 

 these have become crooked, scrubby or bushy, owing in part to the 

 action of pine blister rust, and more particularly to the activities 



