170 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



and natural regeneration is interfered with. The most obvious 

 remedy, and the most practical one, is to diligently remove 

 affected stems in the course of the thinnings. This is now being 

 done in the Black Forest. 



The disease is quite a common one on silver fir in some 

 parts of Ireland and in the south-west of Scotland. It used to 

 be regarded by Scottish foresters as a "freak" growth. 

 Another plant (not regarded quite as a true parasite) which 

 causes defects in silver fir timber in the Black Forest, almost 

 as bad as those produced by the yEcidiuin, is the common 

 mistletoe ( Vtscum album). It is very prevalent, and owing to 

 its easy distribution by birds, it is difficult to stamp out. Next 

 to trees with cankerous growths, those having mistletoe plants 

 on them are the most favoured for removal in the course of 

 thinnings under the modern system. 



Insect enemies are not particularly numerous, and in any 

 case they are always kept well in hand. 



Toinicus curvidens is to be found on the silver fir on dry slopes 

 in unthinned stands where there are weakly trees. This beetle 

 may also in course of time attack healthy trees, but it prefers 

 weakly ones. According to Herr Philipp, there may be two or 

 three broods in the course of a season. The remedy is to fell 

 weakly or diseased trees, bark them and burn the rubbish. 

 Mr Gillanders says the beetle has not been recorded in this 

 country. 



Tomicus lyTrypodendroti) lineatum is another beetle found in 

 the silver fir and spruce stands. Owing to an excellent rule, 

 strictly adhered to, which requires all coniferous trees felled and 

 left lying in the forest to be at once barked, serious insect 

 attacks are really non-existent. 



The species of Chermes which attacks the silver fir in this 

 country with such fatal results, is certainly present in the Black 

 Forest, but the natural constitutional vigour of the trees there is 

 such that any bad effects are not apparent. 



Everybody can walk at pleasure through the roads and paths 

 in the forest, and yet not one single instance of wilful damage, 

 either by old or young, ever came under the observation of the 

 writer during the whole of his stay in Baden. A line of conduct 

 such as this must have taken time to develop like the forestry 

 systems themselves. 



How very different often is the state of matters with us ! 



