132 PINE. 
Pine Beetle attack is fostered by leaving the fallen or injured Pine 
wood, beneath the bark of which it breeds, uncleared. We are well 
aware of such being really the case; but we have so rarely record of 
observation of great presence of the pest in absolute sequence with 
occurrence of great gales, and of weather injurious to the trees, over 
such a large area of country, that, with grateful acknowledgment of 
the source of the letters, I quote two of the most important almost at 
full length. 
On January 8th, 1896, the following letter appeared in ‘The 
Scotsman,’ from Mr. Edward H. Robertson, of Burnside, Forfar :— 
‘The ravages of the Pine Beetle (Hylurgus piniperda) among the 
Scotch Firs are causing several proprietors in Forfarshire serious 
alarm. This insect is rather smaller than a grain of wheat; it 
burrows into the pith of the shoots of the Scotch Firs, where it lives 
in apparent security from birds or the effects of severe weather. . . . 
Possibly its prevalence at this time may be due to the enormous 
amount of blown and decaying timber in the county, or perhaps the 
severity of last winter removed one of the checks appointed by nature 
to keep it within bounds. The consequences of its work are only too 
apparent; Scottish Firs, old and young, are becoming bared of their 
shoots, and the ground strewn with branchlets that have dropped off 
by their sap being eaten away. The beetle’s wings enable it to extend 
its ravages. The questions naturally present themselyes—Is this 
scourge likely to continue? Can we hope that a hard winter will 
annihilate these comfortably-housed miscreants? Must we consider 
as probable the total loss of our Scottish Fir plantations? It is to 
questions such as these that answers from persons of experience would 
be valued, and for this object I ask you kindly to insert this letter.”’ 
The subject was further continued on January 9th (in the same 
journal) by a correspondent signing ‘‘ Entomologist,” giving some 
very correct remarks as to the breeding-grounds of the insect, and (in 
the first sentence) some very noteworthy observation of the prevalence 
of the beetle in localities where wind-fallen Scots Fir had been left 
unremoved :— 
«There is no doubt about the Pine Beetle being too plentiful in 
some parts of Forfarshire, and for that matter in other parts of 
Scotland, where Scots Fir has been blown over by the gales in recent 
years, and allowed to lie, and often decay, where it fell. These 
blown-over and sickly trees are the breeding-ground of the Pine 
Beetle, and many other noxious forest insects. The remedy is to 
clear away as quickly as possible all fallen or cut trees; burning the 
débris—bark, branches, &c., and also strip the bark off the stools for 
six inches below the surface and burn it too. That will get rid of the 
worst breeding-ground for the beetle; and by encouraging all manner 
