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WEST VIRGINIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



maining, in comparatively good health and vigor, immense forests of 

 white and chestnut oak and other valuable timber ; the bark of the chest- 

 nut oak at the present time, being a very important item of revenue. The 

 region embraces some of the richest and most beautiful valleys in the 

 world ; and a large portion of highlands now covered with dead pine, if 

 cleared and sown to grass, and stocked with sheep, would, if properly 

 managed, add greatly to the wealth and prosperity of the now unfortunate 

 owners. 



The great mortality among the pine, spruce and locust timber of the 

 state within the last ten years is a sad example of the millions of dollars 

 worth of property which may be destroyed by some of our smallest forms 

 of insects. The importance, therefore, of conducting investigations with 

 a view of preventing like devastations in the future, can not be doubted. 

 It has been a neglected field of study by Entomologists mainly on account 

 of its vastness ; hence, there is much to be learned by investigation and 

 experiments. 



We feel a deep interest in the preservation of our forest ; and we believe 

 that much loss may be prevented by prompt action in utilizing some of 

 Nature's methods ; one of which, is the introduction of beneficial insects. 

 To be successful in this as in the application of other prevenatives and 

 remedies, we must be notified of the first indications of trouble, and have 

 the unstinted co-operation, and assistance of the owners of the affected 

 timber. 



May, 1892. 



FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 



On June 16th, 1892,,! started on another tour of investigation 

 into the spruce forests, which were also reported to be affected 

 in a similar manner as the pine. Proceeding to Hendricks, in 

 Tucker county, where 1 procured horses and guides, I entered 

 the spruce wilderness by the way of the Dry Fork of Cheat 

 river, and its tributary, Gandy creek. During this investiga- 

 tion which continued until July 6th, i passed through portions 

 of the extensive spruce forests in Tucker, Randolph, Pendleton, 

 Greenbrier andPocahontas counties, and the white pine forests 

 in Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties along the Greenbrier 

 river, returning to Morgantown via. the Chesapeake & Ohio, 

 the Ohio River and the Baltimore & Ohio railroads, through the 

 southern and western section of the pine and hardwood area. 

 In all these forests I found the timber dying in greater or less 

 quantities, the trouble has aparently just commenced in the 

 spruce, and had not extended beyond isolated groups each 

 composed of a few hundred trees or less scattered over the 

 spruce area (See previous chapter, spruce investigations). In 

 the white pine forests in Pocahontas and Greenbrier coun- 

 ties the conditions were of a more serious character, a larger 



