262 FORESTRY IN NEW ENGLAND 



fire-fighting tools which can quickly be reached from any portion 

 of the area. 



Protection against Grazing Animals. — The spruce region is 

 fortunate in being free from serious damage from grazing animals. 

 Such animals are one of the commonest agencies working injury 

 to the forests of the United States, but conditions here are not 

 favorable for them. The forest is too unbroken in its extent and 

 too dense in its character to afford good grazing. The settlers 

 may turn out to pasture their few cows and horses but the injury 

 done the forest by these animals is immaterial. 



Protection against Insects. — The most destructive insect to 

 standing timber is the spruce-destroying beetle (Dendroctonus 

 piceaperda). The habits of this insect, the injuries which it 

 causes and the general methods of control have been discussed 

 in the Chapter on Insects. Ten to fifteen years ago, the last 

 serious attack made by this insect, of which there is a record, 

 occurred in the upper Androscoggin valley in extreme north- 

 western Maine. Through the efforts of Mr. Austin Gary, at 

 that time forester for the Berlin Mills Company, the work of the 

 insect was discovered and finally checked. Many fine bodies of 

 timber had been killed, others were infested, and the beetle, 

 left uncontrolled, might have destroyed all the merchantable 

 timber in that section. By directing the logging operations 

 into the areas containing the most dead and infected timber the 

 beetle was finally checked and although by no means extermi- 

 nated was so reduced in numbers as to be held in control sub- 

 sequently by natural enemies. 



The larch sawfly {Nematus erichsonii) ^ about thirty years ago 

 destroyed practically all the large tamarack timber. This tree 

 is now of secondary commercial importance and does not occur 

 in large enough bodies to justify special efforts for its protection. 

 On tracts situated close to markets it might be possible to remove 

 the dead and infested trees and utilize them, but away from 

 markets no special cuttings can be made. 



The spruce-bud worm (Tortrix fumiferana)^ is another 



1 See Chapter on Insects. 



