TENDING THE PLANTATIONS 135 



to run the risk of insect damage, as the majority of 

 beetles that do injury to forest trees use only dead or 

 sickly trees as breeding-places. The most probable 

 reason for this is that if they laid their eggs in the bark 

 or cambium of flourishing trees the larvae would be 

 drowned by the strong flow of sap. Although the mature 

 beetles of some species remain on the dead stems, the 

 majority of the destructive ones fly to healthy trees, 

 upon which they feed. 



Trees in a sickly condition, too, are more liable to 

 attack from different fungi, which, having obtained a 

 foothold, will grow and produce spores which will infect 

 other and healthier trees. 



As a preventive measure, therefore, all dead and 

 dying trees must be removed from the plantation as 

 soon as possible. This work is called " weeding and 

 cleaning." 



All young trees that are cut out must be carried off 

 the ground, and if not of useful size should be burned, 

 as they may already have insect eggs upon them or bo 

 infected by fungi. 



If the poles are large enough for use as stakes, etc., 

 the bark should be stripped off and burned. If left oa 

 the ground, the branches and bark will serve as well for 

 breeding-places as the poles. 



Later on in the life of the plantation the struggle for 

 existence goes on, as each tree for its development requires 

 more individual growing space. If left alone, a per- 

 centage of the poles will die off and leave sufficient rooua 

 for the others; but those trees that survive the struggle 



