THE PINE INVESTIGATION. 297 



of the healthy portions of the forests, would attack the Den- 

 droctonus and its principal allies, and thus, in co-operation with 

 other native natural enemies of the bark beetles, serve to re- 

 duce the excess and thus aid in checking the trouble. I there- 

 fore returned to the Station on July 6th, 1892, determined to 

 take active measures for securing a sufficient number of Euro- 

 pean enemies of Scolytids with which to conduct the contem- 

 plated experiment. After consulting with the Director of the Ex- 

 periment Station, the following brief report of the conditions as 

 I had observed them, and recommendations with reference to 

 an experiment of introducing natural enemies from Europe 

 was sent out under the head of "Special Correspondence to 

 Owners of Spruce and White Pine Timber" to all of the prin- 

 cipal companies owning pine and spruce timber in the State, 

 so far as addresses could be obtained. 

 Following is a copy of this report : 



SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO OWNERS OP SPRUCE AND WHITE PINE 

 TIMBER IN W. VA. 



(Circular Letter.) 



As Entomologist of the West Virginia Experiment Station, I have re- 

 cently conducted extensive investigations in the pine and spruce forests of 

 the eastern portion of the State, for the purpose of ascertaining the extent 

 and cause of the unhealthy condition of the pine timber. 



I have just now returned from the second investigation of the trouble, 

 and have found it to be of such serious consequence to the State, and 

 especially to those having large investments in our spruce and white pine, 

 that I feel it my duty to inform the principle owners of the conditions as 

 I have observed them from a scientific standpoint, trusting that the in- 

 formation mav aid you in your deliberations regarding the matter. 



EXTENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE TROUBLE. 



From personal observation, I found the unhealthy condition of the 

 scrub, yellow, pitch, table mountain and white pine to extend from the 

 Maryland line on the north, through Mineral, Hampshire, Hardy, Grant, 

 Pendleton, Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties to Summers and Raleigh 

 counties on the south. From inqniry and correspondence, I learn that 

 the trouble also extends through the western part of Virginia for about the 

 same distance, including an area of possibly 10,000 square miles in 

 both States; I should think 10% of the white pine and 75% of all other 

 species of pine found growing in this region, is either dead or dying. In 

 the spruce, "yew pine," from near Hendricks on the West Virginia Cen- 

 tral, through Tucker, Randolph and Pocahontas counties to Traveler's 

 Repose, the timber is just commencing to die in groups of from a few trees 

 to possibly a thousand; these groups being scattered through the forest, 

 most common near the infested pine districts of Pendleton county. The 



