BUBMHAM BEECHE8. 



559 



fungus (Pohjporus spumeus) which has heen found on the dying trees, 

 is not clearly known. 



On removing the overlying white felty substance the insect may be 

 clearly seen with the help of an ordinary magnifying glass, and appears 

 as an almost globular, semitransparent, yellow body. It appears to be 

 particularly free from natural enemies, and the birds do not seem to 

 eat it. It is practically impossible to deal with it in woods or in 

 extensive plantations, but individual trees may be freed from its 

 infestation or greatly assisted in withstanding it and throwing it off 

 by the following treatment : — 



1. When the stem of a tree is thickly coated with the insect, spread 

 sacking or other material on the ground round the trunk and scrape off 

 as much of the white felt-like substance as possible, and then scrub the 

 tree from the highest point you can reach downwards with a stiff brush 

 dipped in paraffin emulsion, working it well into the cracks and crevices 

 of the bark and burning all the debris that falls on the sacking. 



This should be done twice or three times during the summer and 

 autumn. 



2. In winter a tree that has been partially cleaned by the last 

 method should be sprayed or syringed with caustic alkali wash. The 

 operator should wear protecting spectacles, thick leather gauntlet gloves, 

 and be careful to spray or syringe with the way of the wind, as the 

 wash is very burning to hands, eyes, or face. It must only be used in 

 winter, i.e. any time after the leaves have all fallen, up to the end of the 

 second week in February. It should be repeated twice, at intervals of 

 a week. 



8. A member of the Committee thought that those trees whose roots 

 were somewhat exposed seemed to be more liable to the attack than 

 others. It could certainly do no harm, and might be productive of 

 much good to the general health of such a tree, to give it a mulching 

 of soil sufficient to cover the now exposed roots to a depth of four or 

 six inches. 



These remedies are, as we said, impracticable for a beech wood or 

 large plantation such as at Burnham, but they would be useful for 

 individual trees specially desired to be saved. 



Regretting that we cannot give a more promising and more hopeful 

 report en this beautiful beech forest, 



P.S. — To Make Paraffin Emulsion. — Mix equal portions of soft- 

 soap dissolved in boiling water and paraffin and churn them up with 

 a syringe. When required for use add twenty times its bulk of warm 

 water and churn it up together again. 



To Make Caustic Alkali. — Dissolve one pound of caustic soda in 

 water; also dissolve one pound of crude potash in water. When 

 dissolved mix the two well, add three-quarters of a p:jund of soft-soap, 

 stir up together, and add enough water to make ten gallons. 



(Signed) 



Fred. J. Chittenden, 

 Habb? J. Veitch, 

 A. D. Webster, 

 W. Wilks, 



) . Members 



of the 

 I Committee. 



