DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1931 145 



On the plantation and woodlot areas protection involved the control of 

 injury from: 



(a) Fire. 



(b) Insects. 



(c) Disease. 



Fire. 



Practically no damage was caused by fire. A number of little boys playing 

 with matches caused a small fire to be started in a seventeen-year-old white pine 

 plantation, but the conflagration was speedily subdued and an area less than 

 one-sixteenth of an acre was burned over. Only a half dozen trees were killed. 



However, all fire lines subdividing the thousand acres of plantations and 

 woodlots were plowed during the recent year, affording an excellent control 

 should the fire hazard become great. 



As a result of the extensive work carried out in connection with plantations 

 and natural woodlots, both Stations No. 1 and No. 2 are clean and the danger 

 of severe fire injury is becoming less each year. 



Insects. 



The severe attack of Ips pini and Ips calligraphus which occurred in several 

 red pine plantations last year appears to have been checked. 



Every effort was put forth to stamp out this insect, which when present in 

 sufficient numbers is so injurious as to kill the trees within a fortnight. A 

 close inspection was maintained during 1931, but only five trees showed signs 

 of insect action. These were at once removed and burned. 



Unless the 1932 season is very dry there is small likelihood of a recurrence 

 of injury from this source. 



I am pleased to report that injury from the pine weevil was forty per cent, 

 less than that of 1930. 



Disease. 



Ribes Eradication was carried on at both Station No. 1 and No. 2 during 

 the current year. 



Removal of wild gooseberry and currant bushes was affected for the first 

 time at Station No. 2. 



Work in the above connection commenced on June 12th and was completed 

 July 25th, entailing a cost of 739 hours. An area slightly in excess of 200 acres 

 was covered. 



At Station No. 1 where ribes eradication has been consistently carried out 

 for a number of years, inspection was renewed on July 30th, and by August 

 29th, over 800 acres was combed for gooseberries and wild currant. A total 

 expenditure in time of 1,229 hours was necessary to find, dig and destroy 2,246 

 currant bushes and 2,415 gooseberry plants. 



The value of these preventative measures is apparent when it is able to 

 report that only one incipient case of white pine blister rust was encountered 

 during the entire period of inspection. 



Chestnut blight continues unabated. A great many trees are dead, and 

 practically 100 per cent, are diseased. All woodlot owners have been advised 

 to cut their chestnut at once, even if it is necessary to store the lumber until 

 the market improves. 



