ENEMIES. g3 



Fre(iuently full-nrowu trees are found to show si^ns of rapid decay. These are recognized by 

 the gradually dyiny- of the smaller limbs and their falliiijc off, in consequence of the n.ttinp of the 

 wood surrounding their base; and alter having been cast olf a hole or diseased sj)ot remains iu 

 tlie trunk, which is infested by a large fungus of the genus Poh/porux (i)unk holes, ])unk stools). 

 The hcartwood of such trees is of a reddish color, soft, sappy, and full of small channels, caused' 

 by the breaking down of the walls of the wood cells, lilled with the mycelium, tin; so-called spawn 

 of the fungus, the threads of which also penetrate the medullary rays. Such punky or red-heart 

 timber is found mostly on the ridges in the poorest soil. Apparently superannuated trees are most 

 frequently found afflicted with this rot. 



The Long-leaf Pine, throughout its existence, is expose<l to the danger of destruction by the 

 ravages of insects, hosts of which, belonging to various orders, are found to infest it from the 

 earliest stages of its development. I'pon the tufts of the tender primary leaves of the seedling 

 are often found feeding large numbers of a yellow, black-striped caterpillar, the larva- of a species 

 of sawfly [Lophyrus). 



The cambium of trees felled iu the latter part of the summer is soon found swarming with the 

 larval brood of bark beetles, which after a short time infest the trees growing near by, causing as 

 has been again and again observed, the death particularly of the trees of younger giowtli over 

 extensive areas. Hence the necessity of stopping the practice of felling trees during the summer 

 season. A(;cording to information kindly furnished by Mr. Schwarz, of the Entomological Division 

 of the United States Department of Agriculture, most if not all the species of the bark beetles 

 the family Toiiiiridw have more than one annual generation, and iu the Southern States they have 

 iu all probability, three. The summer generation develops in a very short time, possibly within 

 four or live weeks, and the perfect beetles issuing from the trees felled iu August will in Septem- 

 ber attack the healthy trees near by for want of more suitable food. The ravages spoken of by 

 Michaux refer, no doubt, to these species of Tomicidw beetles which enter the solid wood of trees 

 e. g., Gnathotfichus materiarius and Xyleboni.s pubcHcens. The galleries of these timber beetles 

 or allied species are found to penetrate the wood to the heart. The grating noise made by the 

 larviT. of the large ceramboid beetle, the Moiiohamnni.s, while engaged in its work of destruction 

 frequently strikes the ear in the forest. That there is a large number of species belono-inc to 

 different orders preying on the Longleaf Pine and more or less destructive to the life of this tree is 

 apparent from the following communication from Jlr. Schwarz: 



The number of insects to be found on the Longleaf Pine is very large and comprises species of most orders but 

 a complete list of them has never been published and the habits of most of them have never been carefully studied. 

 Only those which are really injurious to the tree need to be considered. 



Order Hiimenoplera: Several species of sawtlies (Tenlhredinidie) , occasionally very injurious to the younger tress 

 the larvte defoliating the branches. The species thus far observed are Lophi/nts Abbotii, Leach: Lujihiiriit Leconlei, 

 Fitch, and three or four less common species. 



Order Cohoptera, slip B : Kound-headed borers (larva' of Cernmbj/cidir) atfect the trees similarly to the llitpri'<tidiv 

 but their burrows are always cylindrical, and some species bore only under the bark. The most abundant ami 

 destructive is Monohammnx titiUalor, Fabr., but there are many other species, of which the following is a partial list: 

 Scaphinns avitaricollis, Lee. ; Ascmiim moextiim, Hald. ; CHoceplitihia niibiliis, Lee. ; F.iipoyoniiis tomeiito-iiia, Hald. ; Acantlio- 

 ciiiiia nodosiis, Fabr. In the family Cureidionidiv, the worst enemy of the pine tree iu the more Northern St.ites 

 Pianodea sirobi is rare in the region of the Longleaf Pine, but another species, Pachi/lohiiis jih-ivorus, Germ., the larva- 

 of which bore under the bark, is quite common and greatly injurious to the Longleaf Pine. Of its more dan-'erous 

 enemies the Scolytid beetles, which mostly bore their galleries under the bark, only a few species entering the solid 

 wood, the following are known to infest Pinus palimtriK: Piti/opltlhuriis pnlcariux, Zim. ; /'. (iiiiiectiiiii. Lee; Tomiciia 

 calliiirapliiix, (ier.; T. anihiia, Eich.; T. laeoijraphiia. Lee; Crypiunjua atoinux, Lee; Dcndroctonua lerebrana, Oliv. ; 

 D. froniaVis, Zim.; Uylnslea porculaa, Er. ; H. ejilh, t'hap. 



The few species entering the solid wood are Plnli/piin (jiindrideiitntKx, Oliv.; (innthotrichiis mateyiiiriim. Fitch, and 

 Syloboriin ptibescenx, Zim. Most of these Scolvtida' are extremely numerous iu specimens, and .ilthough they usually 

 infest injured or diseased trees, yet iu cases of excessive multiplication or for want of proper food tUev often attack 

 healthy trees, which within one or two years succumb to their attacks. 



