AN AUSTRALIAN STUDY OF AMERICAN FORESTRY. 131 
The “National Forest Manual” sets forth that :— 
“The construction and maintenance of improvements require the 
most rigid economy consistent with the fulfilment of their purposes, 
particularly as they afford greater opportunity for inefficiency and 
extravagance than any other line of work. Because of these facts 
all plans for improvement demand the most careful consideration both 
as to preparation and execution.” 
Little, if anything, in the nature of secondary improvement has been 
undertaken, all energies having been directed to the work of organisation. 
Some silvicultural improvements were initiated in the early days when 
European ideals dominated the departmentall attitude. They have been 
abandoned for the present before the greater needs of transportation, communi- 
cation, and control. Conditions of timber sale agreements now are made to 
provide a foundation for further development along the lines of forest tending. 
Cuartrr XVI. 
FOREST PESTS. 
‘The annual forest loss in Australia owing to the activities of forest pests 
is incalculably large. 
Probably 80 per cent. of our hardwoods show some degree of hollowness 
or decay due to the ravages of termites. The greatest enemy of hoop pine is 
the borer. The mantis is responsible for wholesale destruction within our 
forests. The wombat has ringbarked enormous numbers of our bush giants. 
The rabbit, in drought time, has nibbled away the lives of multitudes of our 
western shrubs and trees. 
Not alone insects and animals, but prickly-pear and other forest weeds 
by destructive competition contribute to the tremendous waste of our limited 
timber resources. 
The American forests are not subject to so fierce a ravage. : 
Nevertheless, the United States of America Forest Service has appre 
ciated the necessity of grappling with the forest pest problem. 
Realising that unless insect attacks are met in the early stages it becomes 
a difficult and costly task to attempt their elimination, local officers are 
required to keep a close check on existing infestations, and whenever and 
wherever possible secure the removal of infested trees by utilisation. 
Whenever an infestation is too extensive to be disposed of in this way, the 
local officer is required to report the fact and forward specimens. 
A plan of control is then prepared by the forest. officer in charge of insect 
control. The execution of the.plan is carried out by the Forest Service, but 
recourse is had to the Bureau of Entomology of the Department of Agriculture 
for assistance, and for the making of entomological investigations. 
The officer in charge of the project is given considerable latitude in the 
execution of the plan. 
