Pine Beetles. 43 



eggs are laid, and when hatched the larvae 

 eat their way at right angles to it, and eventu- 

 ally bore their way out. Decayed trees are 

 usually chosen, and this once more impresses 

 upon us the necessity of cutting and ridding 

 the woods of all dead and dying trees 

 and debris. It is not here, however, that 

 the chief mischief takes place. The perfect 

 beetle feeds upon the tender shoots by boring 

 into them and along the course of the pith. 

 This is done in the summer, and in the 

 following spring these become detached by 

 wind, thereby lessening the leaf surface of the 

 trees. So long as it is confined to the lateral 

 branches, the ill-effects are not so apparent, 

 but unfortunately they prefer the leading 

 shoot, and when this is the case the growth 

 of the tree is materially affected, and the 

 symmetry of the tree destroyed. Nature 

 will often adapt one of the lateral branches, 

 so forming a new leader, but not without 

 some injury to the tree in the meanwhile. 



The remedy here lies, as stated, in the 

 careful destruction by fire of all pine 

 rubbish and decayed or decaying wood. 



