270 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARHORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



relying altogether on Russia and Finland for the supply of 

 building and mining timber. Geo. U. Macdonald. 



Creosoting Tree Stumps against Pine Weevil. 



It may be of interest to members of the Society to learn 

 of our method at Dawyck of combating pine weevil, from which 

 in past years we have suffered severely. We formerly barked 

 the stumps of felled trees in the area to be replanted and found 

 this fairly satisfactory, but we now creosote the stumps, and 

 so far ttiis has been entirely successful. 



Three years ago we felled 100 acres of wood, which consisted 

 for the most part of larch but contained considerable numbers of 

 silver fir, Scots pine, and Finns montana. The wood was very 

 thin, and the stumps to be treated numbered about 6000. We 

 heated the creosote on the ground and poured it hot on each 

 stump, being careful that the sap-wood should be well soaked. 

 As the stumps were green we found that they absorbed the 

 liquid very freely. The cost of the operation was small. 360 

 gallons of creosote were used, costing \\A. per gallon delivered 

 at Stobo Station; carting, say i8s.; one man's labour for five 

 weeks, say ;^6 ; the total cost thus amounting to ^13, 3s., 

 or a trifle over id. per stump. 



We have scarcely found one pine weevil in the whole area 

 since, and have satisfied ourselves of the efficacy of our method. 

 The fact that the life of the stumps is somewhat prolonged 

 is of no consequence. F. R. S. Balfour. 



Japanese Larch. 



In view of the promising manner in which the Japanese 

 larch has been growing during the past fifteen years or so since 

 its introduction to this country as a forest tree, it is becoming 

 of increasing interest and importance that we should have, if 

 possible, more definite information regarding its native habit, 

 especially in regard to the length of time it takes to reach 

 maturity. 



The account given of this tree by Messrs Elwes and Henry, 

 though full of interest, is somewhat lacking in definite details. 

 Mr Elwes, when visiting Japan, " saw no larches felled, and 

 was therefore unable to count the rings." Now that we have 



