63 



Frequently full-grown trees are found to show signs of rapid decay. These are recognized by 

 the gradual dying of the smaller liaibs and their falling otf, in consequence of the rotting of the 

 wood surrounding their base; and after having been cast ofl' a hole or diseased spot remains in 

 the trunk, which is infested by a large fungus of the genus Pohjporus (punk holes, punk stools). 

 The heartwood 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, tilled with the mycelium, the 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 afHicted with this rot. 



The Longleaf Pine, throughout its existence, is exposed 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. Upon 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 (LopliijrnH). 



The cambium of trees felled in 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 agaiu observed, the death particularly of the trees of younger growth over 

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

 season. According 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 

 of the family Tomicidw have more than one annual generation, and in the Southern States they have, 

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

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

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

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

 e. g., Gn-uthotrichus materiarius and XjflehoruH intbesceiis. The galleries of these timber beetles 

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

 larva; of the large ceramboid beetle, the Monohammus, while engaged in its work of destruction 

 frequently strikes the ear in the forest. That there is a large number of species belonging 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 Mr. Schwarz: 



The nnraber of insects to bo found on the Longleaf Pine is very large and comprises species of most orders, but 

 a complete list <if tlii'ni 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 ffynienopleru: Several species of sawtlies {TeiitJiredinida'), occasionally very injurious to the younger trees, 

 the larva> defoliating the branches. The species thus far observed are Lophyrus ahbotii, Leach; Lophyrits leconiei, 

 Fitch, and three or four less common species. 



Order Cohoptera: Round-headed borers (larvM> nf Cifimhijcidw) atfect the trees similarly to the Siiprentida-, 

 but their burrows are always cylindrical, and - ni. -]m , ;. s Lore only under the bark. The most abundant and 

 destructive is Monnhammus lilillalor, Fabr., but i In i r .■.n- many cither species, of which the following is a partial list: 

 Scaphinus sphaTicollis, Lee; Asemum moestum, Ilal.l. ; Ciin,, i.lmhis nuhilus, Lee; Eupogoniuntomentoaus.l^a.M. ; Acantho- 

 cinus nodosiis, Fabr. In the family Curculionidu, the worst enemy of the pine tree in the more Northern .States 

 Pissodes stiobi is rare in the region of the Longleaf Pine, bat another species, rachylobiux jiiciiorus, Germ., the larva' 

 of which bore nnder the bark, is quite common and greatly injurious to the Longleaf Pine. Of its more dangerous 

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

 ■wood, the following are known to infest Pinu8 palustrh: Piti/opthoriiK piiUcariua, Zim. ; P. aiinectens, Lee. ; TomUus 

 calligraphus, Ger.; T. -ai'iiZsi/s,, Eich. ; T. cacographuf, IjOc; Cryplunjua alonuia,'Lec.\ Dendrocionus ieribraiis, OWv.; 

 D. froiitalh, Zim. ; Hylastes porculm, Er. ; //. exilis, Chap. 



The few species entering the solid wood are Platypus quadr'idenlaius, Oliv.; Gnathoirichus maieriarius, Fitch, and 

 Ayhborus 2>iibi8ceiis, Zim. Most of these ScolytidiE are extremely numerous in specimens, and although they usually 

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

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



