79 



of not less than 10 feet in every direction, and further following the 

 runways up to the nest and destroying the queen. Even if the nest 

 were not found, the disorganization of the runways was held to be 

 suflScient to prevent the termites i*etnrning to the same ti*ee a second 

 time. 



It could not be long before this method discovered its weakness. 

 The only effect upon the attack would be to drive it to fresh trees. 

 Moreovei*, many attacked trees would go untreated because, as 

 Robinson was soon to point out, in a considerable percentage of cases 

 there are no external signs of damage. 



By far the most important thing in this article of Carey's is the 

 following note in parenthesis : the nest *' is almost always found in a 

 log or the stump of an old tree." It is amazing to me that not 

 until another six yeai*s had elapsed was this knowledge applied by 

 treating timber, and that a further six years was allowed to pass 

 before clean clearing as the oilly perfect treatment for Termes 

 gestroi was seriously supported by any of the men engaged in 

 agricultural research in this country. 



The first serious attempt to investigate the pest was made by 

 Robinson, now Director of Museums, whose account is published in 

 the Bulletin in December, 1904. I can do little moi-e than indicate 

 some of the more important features, and recommend you to re-read 

 the whole for youreelves. A simple key to the species commonly 

 found on estates is followed by a good account of the nests of the 

 mound-building species. The useful part played by these species in 

 converting timber into available plant food is pointed out, and the 

 futility of treating them insisted upon. 



Termes gestroi, Robinson i-emarked to be rare in Nature, and 

 ascribed its abundance on estates to the stimulus provided by unusual 

 quantities of suitable food in the form of rubber trees. The first 

 detailed account is given of the extei-nal attack under cover of the mud 

 casing, under which, sooner or later, a non-resistent spot in the bark 

 is reached, through which " the whole body of termites gains access 

 to the interior of the tree which is rapidly eaten out." Robinson 

 also was the first to point out that a large pei*centage of attacks 

 are made below the soil level, no extenial signs of damage showing. 

 He opposed the theory of antecedent disease, but pointed out the 

 likelihood of Termes gestroi effecting enti-ance through wounds. 

 The remedies of the time are discussed and dismissed as failui'es 

 with the exception of powdering the coUai' and ixtots thickly with 

 fi-eshly slaked lime after scraping off the incrustation. For the 

 treatment of internally attacked trees an ingenious application 

 of CSj vapour is suggested. But there is not a word about 

 destroying the nesting sites. Robinson wix)te : " The nests ai-e 

 contained within the trunks of the trees attacked, and are formed of 

 narrow labrynthine chambers of woody and earthy matter , . 



