PROTECTION 155 



the scattered infestations that kill a tree or two here 

 and there over large forest areas are not so notice- 

 able, but, taken all together, add up to a startling 

 total.* 



The task of locating and reporting insect infesta- 

 tions falls upon the Forest Ranger and other field 

 men of the Forest Service. Since the Rangers are 

 practically the only class of Forest officers that 

 visit all parts of a National Forest during each 

 field season, the Supervisor relies mostly on them to 

 report upon insect infestations. In riding to and 

 from his work, while on fire patrol, while going for 

 mail and supplies, while attending to the timber, 

 grazing and other business of his district, the Ran- 

 ger does a good deal of traveling and covers practi- 

 cally every part of his district. These are good op- 

 portunities to watch for fresh outbreaks of insects, 

 and the wide-awake, progressive Ranger never 

 misses such chances. If he sees reddish-brown 

 masses of pitch and sawdust on the bark of a tree he 

 immediately recognizes it as the work of insects. Or 

 perhaps he may see a pine or a spruce tree with all 

 its needles turned yellow. He knows then that this 

 tree was girdled by bark beetles very recently, prob- 

 ably during the previous summer. A tree whose 



