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unhealthy condition and that a quantity of fine beech perished a 
few years earlier on Sir W. Middleton’s estate. In that case it was 
found that the roots of the trees were extensively attacked by a 
fungus.” In the same journal Mr. A. D. Webster alludes to the 
presence of the insect on the Penicuik estate, Midlothian, in 1875, 
in au article which appeared on October 10th, 1908, whilst several 
references are made to the disease in “ Woods and Forests ” for 
that the next generation will only know by pictures and reports 
how gloriously beautiful our forest-beeches have been.” 
In the face of such gloomy predictions we find other people 
writing in a much more hopeful strain. In the “ Gardeners’ 
Chronicle” for July 23rd, 1904, p. 58, Mr. Brotherston writes as 
follows. ‘ At present there is not a little consternation evinced 
concerning the safety of beeches on account of the prevalence of 
what used to be called Coecus, but now Cryptococcus fagi, on many 
trees. It is a question if this almost microscopic insect effects the 
amount of mischief that is laid to its charge, and on account of 
which so much fear is entertained concerning the very existence of 
so many specimens of this noble tree. For one thing it is no new 
pest, old people have known it all their lives and not only that, but 
ave an acquaintance with trees that have sheltered and_ fe 
generation after generation without any apparent distress to them- 
selves. I have watched a young tree for more than a quarter of a 
century, and it has gone on increasing in size and stature all that 
time, and at present is in the perfection of health, notwithstanding 
the innumerable colonies of the Beech-Coccus that are congregated on 
its bark. ‘The only difference discernible between unaffected trees 
and this, is that the bark of the latter is covered with low, warty 
excrescences, in which the greater part of the Coccus congregate. 
? 
“Still more interesting is the fact that old beech-trees in the 
vicinity of this young one occasionally die as they stand and some 
of these have not one Coccus on the bark. Two old trees within 
less than a stone’s-throw indicate by their foliage and growth that 
two to five years hence will see the limit of their life. One of 
these has a very few Cocci here and there on its bark, which is 
ing in patches; the other is quite free from Coccus, and it has 
reached the stage when the bark is so badly decayed that pieces 
are falling off. Experience shows that trees such as these are 
decayed at the roots, a result of old age, possibly accelerated by 
unsuitable soil, especially when too wet. It se to me that if 
the insect is indigenous, there is not much fear of its being greatly 
mischievous to its host. We know that its relatives, the Kermes of 
