98 PROTECTION OF PLANTS — 1923-24 



Specimens being found about Aylmer, Que., thriving in low. damp places, as 

 well as on the higher more exposed and rocky localities. It is the most rapid 

 grower of all ovir oaks and reaches a height of over sixty feet with a diameter 

 usually three feet in extent, and sometimes more. The bark when young is 

 quite smooth, thin and glossy, and will remain so after the tree has attained 

 a considerable size; but as age increases it tends to become cracked and rough- 

 ened. While slow to leaf in the f-pring, it will retain all its foliage until late in 

 the fall when the leaves become a brillant red, presenting an object of pictures- 

 que beauty not exceeded by any other tree except the red maple, Acer ruhrum 

 Linn. The leaves are oblong and needle-pointed, with wide oblique sinuses; 

 smooth and firm in texture; a bright pink when first unfolded but turning dark 

 green later. The acoin which is oval and stands about one inch high is inclosed 

 in a shallow cup and is quite bitter to the +aste. It requires two year? to mature. 

 The wood is reddish in colour, of coarse grain, porous and not very durable; the 

 chief uses being for cooperage, interior finish and the cheaper furniture. 



The red oaks have many excellent qualities to commend them for planting 

 on public thoroughfares, on highways cf the country side, and on the streets of 

 cities and towns. Frcm a stand point of beauty and shade they are much to be 

 desired. They are also very hardy and grow rapidly under city conditions which 

 often-times are vejy injurious to tree life, showing a considerable tolerance 

 for such harmful agencies as smoke, gases, drj^ness and root constriction. They 

 also have the advantage ovex many other species of Querciis in being free, to a 

 corsiderable extent, from many of the commoner insect pests. In view of these 

 facts it seems strange they are not used more frequently to shade residential 

 streets and beautiiy the parks and garders. 



There are two species of oak growing in the park; the Ejed Oak, Quercus 

 rubra Linn., and the Bur or Mossy Cup Otk, Q. macrocarpa Michx. The former 

 which is in greater abundarce than any other tree in the district' is well dis- 

 tribiited and in fairly good stands. Of these two, the Carpenter Borer attack)s 

 the red oak only. This partiality is specially noticeable in certain places where 

 both species are growing side by side. A large number of the trees show injuries 

 directly attributable to the work of tie larvae which exca\ate large areas in 

 the outer bark and tunnel deep holes into the wood. Through these, rain water 

 and fungi;s spores often find a ready entrance a;nd cause further deterioration 

 of the hcst. Fortunately, the sgecies possesses quite a remarkable power to 

 reccuperate and can quickly repair its injuries, as shown by the numerous 

 hefiled scais on the trunks and branches. This beiieficial characteristic is respon- 

 sible for many of the trees surviving the severe attacks made upon them. 

 Nevertheless, there is considerable moitahty and a large number are in a very 

 poor condition with tops dying downward and branches being killed back 

 gradually. 



In sev^eral places much coppice growth has been formed. This is 

 another common habit of the species. Groups of three, four, or more trees will 

 be found growing from a common centre so as to form a hollow in which the 

 water settles, creating in this way favourable conditions for the establishment 

 of rots and fungi. 



SYSTEMATIC POSITION 



The interesting family Cossidate to which this insect belongs, forms a distinct 

 group of the Order of Lepidoptera, the members of which are characterized 

 by th^ wood-eating habits of the larvae. It includes such well known pests 



