1900] COMMON ASH-BARK BEETLE. 15 



still the winter presence of beetles in bark of standing timber is not 

 good in itself, and helps very much towards providing starting localities 

 for the next year's attack to whatever Ash trunks or boughs, felled or 

 standing, may take the fancy of the beetles. 



In the notes on winter presence of the beetles forwarded from 

 Llanelly (see p. 13), Mr. M'Intosh observed that " The beetles infest 

 trees of all sizes for these winter tunnellings, and do much damage in 

 the locality, as they work into healthy as well as sickly trees for this 

 purpose ; and, though they for the most part bore into the bark round 

 the base of dead branches, or twigs, or into the young bark forming 

 over the wounds caused by pruning, they do not confine their attacks 

 to these places. They also often work their way into the bark by the 

 side of dead leafless ivy " (A. M'L). 



Prevention and Kemedy. — The great point is not to allow (so far 

 as possible) presence of timber, felled or standing, which is suited for 

 attracting attack, and if attack is found present to destroy the bark 

 before the maggots have progressed to beetle state, as from observa- 

 tions taken it does not appear that attack would be likely to occur to 

 healthy trees unless there were felled or unhealthy trees near which 

 were suitable for breeding places to act as nurseries of the pest to the 

 surrounding neighbourhood. 



With regard to remedies, the removal of such felled timber and 

 dead or dying branches as are suitable for breeding-places is obviously 

 one desirable plan. The best time for this is, speaking generally, tlie 

 month of June, but any time between completion of egg-laying and 

 development of the beetles will answer with certainty (quite irrespec- 

 tively of variable times of development). Where such attack is present, 

 it might be worth while to strip off a small bit of infested bark in a 

 few places to ascertain amount of advance of development in the 

 galleries. 



Where felled trees are known to be likely to be attacked, the 

 application of a coat of tar would be an effective preventive, and 

 cost little. 



Where the bark of young standing Ash trees is found to have been 

 pierced into for winter shelter of the beetles, it has been recommended 

 that they should be gone over by trustworthy workers, and during the 

 month of March, and guided by the shot-hole-like marks in the bark, 

 pare off the outer bark down to the depth at which the beetles are 

 hybernating in their tunnels. This remedy is considered to cause 

 little injury to the trees, but is not advised earlier than March, as the 

 Ash is liable to injury of the bark from effect of cold. 



Soils which from defective drainage or from their nature (as cold 

 and stiffish clay) are unsuitable for the Ash — by producing unhealthy 



