OF INJURIOUS INSECTS. 
31 
31. Hylobius Abietis. Fir Weevil. Of this Mr. McCorquodale, 
writing from Scone, Perth, speaks as a most destructive Beetle. In 
1842 he mentions first discovering the ravages of this Beetle in a 
young Fir plantation that had been planted the previous year 
immediately after an old crop of Scots Pine was removed from the 
ground. After a crop of Scots Pine is cut and removed from the 
disforested wood-land the Beetle propagates in the scaly hark that falls 
from the trees during the felling of the timber, independently of the 
stools. They continue their work of devastation among newly-planted 
Scots Pine for five or six years after the timber is cut away. This 
insect is peculiar to Scots Pine. It does not frequent disforested 
wood-land after any other kind of tree, although it eats the bark of 
Conifer cb generally, and its destructive operations are incredible. In 
the case of a hundred acres being cleared out of old Scots Pine, and 
planted within four years thickly with Conifer a, there would be few 
remaining uninjured in two years after. After many experiments 
Mr. McCorquodale was successful in finding a method of preparation 
of the ground, and treatment, which he adopts and finds to save the 
plants from the ravages of the Beetle. After the Pine crop is cut and 
cleared the ground is enclosed thoroughly, so as to exclude stock of all 
kinds, and if required is drained. The ground is permitted to rest the 
first summer for the purpose of getting up all herbage as strongly as 
possible, and in dry spring weather the whole is burned, so as to 
destroy the eggs and food of the Beetle, and, as far as may be, stamp 
it out. After this the ground should be planted with strong two-years’ 
transplanted plants. After each young tree is planted a layer of earth 
is laid round it about two inches in thickness and eighteen inches in 
diameter; this layer should be beat smooth with the back of the spade 
