44 ELM. 
may chance to be attracted by the number of little perforations like 
shot-holes in the bark), the injury caused by the tunnellings of the 
beetles and the successive broods of maggots feeding between the 
wood and the bark goes on year by year till the passage of the sap can 
no longer take place, and the bark may be peeled from the wood in 
sheets of feet or yards in length. 
This attack is very liable to spread, and besides its injuries in an 
economic point of view, it does great harm picturesquely by often 
attacking fine old Klms in public and private parks or avenues where 
they can be ill spared. Its history and habits have been thoroughly 
made out, but as they do not appear so well known generally as is 
desirable, some notes on the subject may be of service, and I first give 
just two of the observations which were placed in my hands in the 
past season, as describing the general appearance of the infested Elm 
trees. The following are a portion of the remarks with which I was 
favoured by Mr. John Martin, of Charley Hall, Loughborough, in 
which it will be seen that the separation of the bark from the tree is 
particularly noticed :— 
‘*T found in my wood to-day six or eight Elm trees standing dead; 
on examining them I found the bark falling off, and in the bark a lot 
of small holes about this size, o. On peeling off some bark, I found 
between the bark and the tree some white grubs about the size of an 
ordinary maggot; they appeared to be boring into the tree itself. On 
some trees the bark had fallen off in long strips. I shall have the 
trees cut down, and removed as soon as possible. . . . I may say 
that though there are Oaks and Ashes close to the Elm trees that are 
damaged, I could not find any that had this grub in them. Also the part 
of the wood where these trees grow isa somewhat damp and wet part.” 
The description of the attack left little doubt that it was of the 
beetle especially known as the ‘‘ Klm-bark Beetle,” scientifically as the 
Scolytus destructor ; but in order to be quite sure, Mr. Martin forwarded 
me, on April 8rd, a box of the injured bark, with specimens of the 
maggots accompanying, which made the matter quite clear; and on 
April 7th Mr. Martin wrote :— 
‘‘T am having the infested trees cut down to-day, and shall try 
my best to have the bark, &c., burned, and so to put an end to the 
pest.” —(J. M.) 
In the following observation sent me by Mr. Crisp, from the Estate 
Office, Elton Hall, Peterborough, it will be seen that the ultimate 
complete separation of the bark from the wood is also mentioned. An 
enquiry was sent for ‘the name of a small white grub that is doing 
much damage to a large Elm tree on this estate; it is nearly a quarter 
of an inch long, and is in the bark of the tree. The birds are stripping 
the tree of the bark, and the tree will die. Can anything be done ? 
