FOREST PROTECTION. 77 



advice of the pathologist has not been sought until serious signs 

 of damage began to appear — that is, after the disease had 

 obtained a firm hold. By that time remedial measures are more 

 difficult to apply, but if the disease is reported early enough it is 

 usually possible to prevent its further spread by preventive 

 measures. I had an interesting experience of this some years 

 ago. A few Norway spruce seedlings in an unhealthy condition 

 were sent to me from a private nursery in the South of Scotland. 

 A fungus was present which appeared to belong to the genus 

 Rhizoctonia. A few years previous R. Violacea had been found 

 as a parasite on broad-leaved and coniferous seedlings on the 

 Continent. I duly informed the forester as to the nature of the 

 disease, and later in the season I wrote to him for some further 

 samples. He replied that he had searched his nursery and 

 could not find any. He had promptly destroyed the plants in 

 the diseased bed, and so thoroughly disinfected it with fungicide 

 that in this nursery no trace of this disease has been heard of 

 since. 



In order that preventive measures may be effective, the 

 co-operation of foresters of all grades is required, and it further 

 stands to reason that the sympathetic interest of the public can 

 go a long way in helping to prevent wilful or thoughtless 

 damage. 



With the expenditure of capital and labour extensive planta- 

 tions may be brought into existence, but these cannot be reared 

 to the best advantage unless means are adopted for their proper 

 care and protection. Research in the various fields of science 

 has shown how forests may be protected against the various 

 forms of damage to which they are liable, and further research 

 is necessary concerning the origin and spread of certain diseases 

 in order that more effective preventive or remedial measures 

 may be evolved. In the same way as the conditions in this 

 country are suitable for the growth of a great variety of exotic 

 trees, so are these same conditions suitable for the origin and 

 spread of a great variety of forest pests, should these be allowed 

 to become established. 



The recent extensive fellings, with the litter of brushwood and 

 debris left behind, have produced conditions very favourable for 

 the multiplication of certain noxious insect pests, and the sooner 

 the ground is properly cleaned up, the less will be the danger to 

 new plantations. 



