Research in Forest 

 Insects and Diseases 



As interest in forestry spread 

 across the South, it soon 

 became evident that insects 

 and diseases seriously limit 

 yields of timber and cause 

 major losses of structures 

 built of wood. Cone and 

 seed insects reduce seed 

 production. Nursery dis- 

 eases diminish output of 

 quality planting stock. Tip 

 moths, sawflies, webworms, 

 weevils, bark beetles, rusts, 

 root rots, canker rots, 

 parasitic nematodes, and 

 other pests take their toll of 

 timber in established stands. 

 Termites, wood borers, 

 stains, and wood roots 

 cause enormous losses in 

 buildings and other struc- 

 tures. 



An early example of suc- 

 cessful research was the 

 work of Ralph M. Lindgren, 

 A.D. Chapman, and T.C. 

 Scheffer in devising means 

 of chemical control of sap 

 stain in southern pine 

 lumber. 5 This was achieved 



5 Much information on pathology 

 research by Federal and university 

 research scientists is contained in 

 a "History of Forest Pathology 

 Research in the South and South- 

 east" (Verrall 1982). 



through use of fungicidal 

 dips, effective procedures 

 for chemical application, 

 and proper handling of 

 wood during harvesting, 

 milling, and seasoning 

 (Scheffer and Lindgren 

 1940). Results of this work 

 were of enormous economic 

 importance to the southern 

 pine lumber industry and to 

 all owners and users of 

 southern pine timber. Suc- 

 cess in producing new 

 knowledge of such great 

 practical importance to the 

 southern economy also 

 brought recognition to the 

 young Southern Forest 

 Experiment Station and 

 greatly strengthened sup- 

 port for the new field of 

 forestry research (Wakeley 

 1964 unpubl.). 



In many research efforts 

 involving insects and dis- 

 ease, a logical and often 

 time-consuming procedure 

 was the initial step: learning 

 the life history of forest 

 pests and their relationships 

 to the natural habitat. 

 Applied studies of chemical 

 controls and integrated 

 pest management subse- 

 quently added to the base 

 of scientific knowledge and 



35 



