20 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
niust be prepared, entailing increased labour and greater expense. 
If, on the other hand, one delays too long before proceeding to 
strip the bark, many or most of the broods may have reached the 
imago stage, and have deserted their breeding ground, with the 
result that not only are the ends of the whole system frustrated, 
but the wood is actually left in a worse state than it would have 
been had no such lures been prepared. As it is unnecessary to 
remove the bark before the larve are half-grown, and unsafe to 
delay till the pup are formed, the best time to destroy the 
insects is towards the end of the larval stage, but better a week 
too soon than a day too late. It seldom happens that all the 
broods are found at the same stage of development at the same 
time ; but there must be no striking of averages, it is those that 
are furthest advanced which must guide the forester in his selec- 
tion of the right time to peel and burn. 
It is not now my intention to discuss the question of State 
interference in the destruction of forest insects. In many 
countries of Europe laws have been enacted to regulate forestal 
operations, so as to minimise the chances of an outbreak of 
forest insects, and also for dealing with an outbreak when 
such occurs. In this country, however, the State has, so far as 
I am aware, never interfered with regard to forest insects, nor, 
on the whole, do I consider that such interference would be 
desirable. That our management is none of the best cannot be 
denied, but with a system of more intensive forestry, I hope soon 
to see signs of decided improvement. In common with most 
other civilised countries, we have a Wild Birds Protection Act 
which has done good service in the past, and which only requires 
to be more stringently enforced to be capable of imparting still 
greater benefits in the future. 
