230 TOMICUS SP. 
the beetle in enormous numbers. Spruce treated in this way have 
also been noticed as badly infested. Onan area! containing 
some fine spruce through which a severe fire had passed several 
years previously I noticed a number of fine, large, dead trees which 
had been badly scorched by the fire. An examination showed 
that the ZYomdcus had subsequently come in and attacked the 
trees in large numbers, killing off those which might otherwise 
have recovered. : 
Protection and Remedies. 
I have already alluded to the system in force for a time in these 
forests of girdling dominant Blue pine‘and to a less extent spruce, 
with a view to giving more light to, and so encouraging the growth 
of, the young and more valuable deodar beneaththem, The large 
number of girdled and slowly-dying trees thus existing in the 
forest has undoubtedly favoured the increase of this Zomzcus, 
which now exists at various centres in the forests in large, and it 
would appear, rapidly increasing, numbers. The insect will not 
attack barked trees or trees whose bark is already dead. A 
girdled tree dies slowly and its bark remains fresh for some time 
perhaps a year or two. If the girdle has not -been cut entirely, 
the tree will remain alive for several years. In every case, 
however, the pine will be in the exact condition preferred by 
bark-beetles, and, as long as the bark remains fresh enough, the 
Tomicus will attack it. The one girdled tree may thus rear up 
several generations, from four to a dozen or more, of the pest 
before the bark is either entirely riddled or has died to such an 
extent as to be no longer to the taste of the beetles. -The same 
would, I think, apply if the trees were only topped instead of 
being girdled as they would run the tisk of becoming diseased 
and would then not improbally be at once attacked. 
If, onthe other hand, the tree is felled outright instead of 
being ringed or topped, its bark will become dry and distaste. 
ful to the Zomicus within at the latest six months, and that tree 
will support at the most but two generations of the beetles and 
most probably not more than one, 
‘On the northern slope of Hattua, above the Simla-Thibet Road, a few 
miles from the Narkanla Tungalow. 

