CONE BEETLES. i 



In order to obtain definite figures on the comparative damage from 

 these two sources, two localities were selected in southern Oregon 

 where the 1913-14 crop of cones was fairly good. A number of trees 

 were selected which were so situated that the cones falling from them 

 would not become confused with those falling from other trees. A 

 record was made at intervals of the good cones and of those infested 

 by the beetle or cut by squirrels. The results are shown in Table II. 



Table II. — Comparative loss to sugar-pine cone crop of J914 caused by the cone 



beetle and squirrels. 



AREA NO. 1, NEAR COLESTIN, OREG. RECORD OF COUNT ON FIVE TREES. 



Tree 

 No. 





Cones 



on trees. 



Cones on ground. ' 



Date. 













Good. 



Beetle at- 



Beetle 



Squirrel 



1 





tacked. 



killed. 



cut. 



July 18 







3 



51 



2 





July 29 











54 



2 





Aug. 8 











54 



2 





Aug. 21 











54 



2 



2 



July 18 



1 



5 



17 



1 





July 29 



1 







22 



1 





Aug. 8 



1 







22 



1 





Aug. 21 



1 







22 



1 



3 



July 18 



8 



13 



27 



14 





July 29 







2 



38 



22 





Aug. 8 







2 



38 



22 





Aug. 21 











40 



22 



4 



July 18 



16 



10 



31 









July 29 



8 







41 



8 





Aug. 8 



5 







41 



11 





Aug. 21 











•11 



18 



5 



July 18 



8 



68 



83 









July 29 



G 



33 



115 



2 





Aug. 8 



4 



4 



147 



4 





Aug. 21 



1 







151 



7 



AREA NO. 2, NEAR ASHLAND, OREG. RECORD OF COUNT ON THREE TREES. 



1 



Apr. 30 



33 











20 





Aug. 11 



1 











32 





Aug. 27 















33 



2 



Apr. 30 



14 











20 





Aug. 11 



10 







2 



1 





Aug. 27 



3 







2 



8 1 



3 



Apr. 30 



68 











2 i 





Aug. 11 



65 



1 







2 





Aug. 27 



20 



1 







47 i 



1 The beetle-killed and squirrel-cut cones found under the trees on the first date were collected and put 

 together in a pile. Those found on the following dates were collected and added to these; so that, in the 

 above table, the number of cones on the ground at each date represents the total number found up to and 

 including that date. 



2 Cones about one-fourth grown. 



This table shows fairly well the period and rate of falling of the 

 beetle- infested cones. It also shows the great variation in the damage. 



On area 1 about 85 per cent of the cones were destroyed by the 

 beetles, while on area 2 the attack of the cone beetle was so slight as 

 to be almost negligible. 



The damage by the cone beetle was therefore practically accom- 

 plished before that by squirrels was started. On area 1 this re- 



