Star.
London, England, 1823-11-05 00:00:00

DISCOVERY

OF THE SECRET DESTROYERS OF Tel? TREES IN
ST. JAMES'S PARK°.
• —...mi•--
The alterations which are now taking place in the
Parks, and particularly in St. James's Park, evidently
excite a good deal of public interest. Few persons,
however, seem aware that the greatest change which is
about to be effected in the appearance of these "Lungs
of London," is one which is contemplated by none with
less pleasure than by those who have the care of them.
Few persons suspect, for instance, that in a very short
period St. James's Park will be clothed in the dapper
dress of a nursery plantation, and will have lost those
shady avenues, and that antiquated appearance which
-are all' associated with the recollections of times gone
past. So rapidly, however, is it advancing to this state,
that every person who is in the habit of entering it must
perceive that, unless some remedy lse quickly applied,
a few months have only to elapse when there will be
scarcely anything green in it but the grass. Of the
saplings which have been lately planted 1 do not speak;
but it is manifest that everything deserving the name of
a tree, a few limes only excepted, is rapidly disappearing.
In spring we see the leaves sprout forth horn the vene-
rable trunks in all the luxuriance of vegetation, when
of a sudden they are blasted as if by lightning, the bark
falls from the stem, and long ere winter the finest tree
perhaps in the Park is
.only fit for fire-wood. Whole
rows have thus disappeared and are still rapidly disap-
pealing in the M ill and Bird-Cage Walk ; and as it is
anticipated that the Public will esteem this open condi-
tion of the Park to be little conducive to its beauty,
even if it should add to its salubrity, great pains have
of course been taken to find out the cause of the mischief.
As it was clear that the trees died in consequence of
being completely stripped Of their bark, rewards were
at first offered for the discovery of the persons who so
Mischievously barked them ; but in vain. It was ob-
served, however, very ingeniously, that no more of the
tree was barked from the ground than what was easily
within the reach of a soldier's bayonet ; and this was
sufficient to throw suspicion on some unfortunate re-
cruits, of whom more than one was arrested without
producing any diminution of the 'evil. In vain were
persons employed to sit up during whole nights watch-
mg for the enemy; the bat k continued to be found every
morning on the ground at the toots of the trees, and the
park-keepers, after. all their trouble, could only Con-
clude, " that the bark fell off in consequence of some-
thing being placed on the trunks during the day-time."
In this conclusion we shall see that they were right ; but
the criminals, as well as their motives for such obstinate
perseverance in downright mischief, have hitherto re.
maned undiscovered, in spite of every offered reward
andilireatened punishment. As however, I have been
for sonar time past in possession of their names, and as
they itouttnue . Obstinately in their mischievous courses,
I gust you brill; allow me the use of...your pages, in order
thatthetriminishi may be held up to general reprobation.
Wilhelm; in reciting the alarm that was occasioned
. **many by•the 'ravages made in 1783 by the Sco.
...: 1 nogrophus, an insect which destroyed whole
Es
tslof pines' so as to threaten the inhabitants of the
with a total suspension of their mining operations,
itsks,,Who would believe that so Small a beetle can thus
render itself mote formidable to 'mankind than the
strongest and most fierce beast of prey ? If we however
wereto ask, Who - would believe that the author of all,
the above mischief in the Parks, is a small beetle of the
same natural family as the Scolyfus iypographus, and
scarcely 1-6th of an inch in length ? there is no entomo-
logist but would answer, that.he is every day. in the ha-
bit of tneeting with similar wonders. Indeed, entorno.
' logists have long been aware that it is nothing else than.'
the evil which is termed in Germany leitrin-ti °kliegs
(decay caused by warms) which is at present devastating,
St. James's Park. However, they were unfortunately
not believed until the disease had reached that pitch.
which at present seems almost to make remedy hopeless.
I verily believe that in 1819 scarcely two trees were
attacked in St. James's Park. In the suinmer of 1110
I first noticed a tree completely barked in the Bird-
Cage Walk ; and the myriads of holes with which the.,
trunk was perforated von pointed out the cause to be
entomological, which was afterwards confirmed by my
taking many specimens of the 11.91c:blur Destructor out
of them. If this tree had been then cut clown and burnt,
in all probability the progress of the disease would have
been arrested ; whereas now every elm is in some degree
infected, and every week we may observe that a tree
. .

has perished.
I have taken three different species of coleopterous in-
sects on the elms in the Park, viz. Hyksimrs Destructor
Latr. Scolytus ligniperda Latr. and kupophltelts bicolor
the

insect has laid its eggs in the crevices under the bark of
this species of tree, it won dies. The larvz, however,'
that 'are hatched from these 'eggs pierce their way into
the wood, and remain there feeding at their ease during
the winter. About the end of this season they return
towards the surface of the trunk and assume the pupa
state, when in, spring the first symptom of the disease
appears, by the crevices of the bark being full of what
seems a very fine sort of saw-dust. This results from
the continued attempts of the perfect Hyland on
leaving their pupa state to arrive at the external air.—
The bark indeed is soon loosened from the stem by their
endeavours, and at length falls in large pieces, when
the leaves turn yellow, wither, and the tree finally pe-
rishes ; but not before a new brood of larvz has been
hatched to spread further devastation in a future year
under the form of winged insects. It thus is evident I
'that winter is the proper time to cut down such dead
elms, which ought then to be burned with the larvz
contained in them. Hitherto however the time selected
for cutting down the dead elms in the Park, has been
just after all the mischief for the season has been
effected, and when these nurseries of Hyksini have sent forth their
inhabitants to the air for the benefit of such trees as might have re-
mained free from infection. Perhaps it may yet be worth while
to make the experiment, whether such trees may not be preserved
sound and intact by having their trunks coated over at the proper
season with some vegetable pitch.
If these remarks should be of any service towards preserving the
ancient appearance of the Parks, I shall be glad ; but I repeat, that
I fear it is too late, and that my principal satisfaction in making this
communication to you must result from my having " thrown the
blame on tk right shoulders."—l am, Gentlemen, yours, &c.
DENDIIOPH I ',US.

• From the Phil. Mag. No. 506.

AFFECTING CASE OF DISTRESS.
An investigation was yesterday taken before Mr.
&rumple, at Saffron-hill, on the body of an infant child
of Mary Ann Rose, who was detained in custody on
suspicion of having starved it.
The Jury viewed the body, which presented a most
shocking spectacle, being nothing but skin and bone.
Mr. STIRLING observed, that in the whole course of
his professional duties, he never before had seen so ema-
ciated an object.
Mr. Whitmore, surgeon, deposed to having examined
the body, at the request of Mr. Scott, the Churchwarden
of Clerkenwell. On opening it, he found all its organs
in a healthy state; there was .no part diseased, so as to
account for its death. He considered it to have died
from want of proper nourishment.
Mrs. George, of Peter-street, stated that the mother
came to lodge with her about two months ago. On
Wednesday last she told her that the child was dead.
Prior to that, witness had reason to know that she was
very distressed in circumstances. On one occasion, on
entering her room, she found her sitting with the child
in her arms, which she was pressing to her bosom. It
was a very cold day, and yet there was no fire in the
grate. Witness had on different occasions assisted her.
Mrs. Field, an acquaintance of the mother's, gave evi-
dence to her extreme distress. She had on several oc-
casions given her a meal, knowing her to be in want.—
On one occasion, when she left the baby with witness
to take care of it, it had no clothes on, but was wrapped
up in an old waistcoat. On the night before the child
died, its mother told witness she had not broke her fast
for two days.
Mrs. Jacobs, the midwife who delivered the woman,
stated that the child was sickly when born, and of a
puny size. She did not think it would live.
In answer to an inquiry from a Juror,
Mr. Whitmore stated, that the distressed circum-
stances of the mother must have impoverished her milk,
so as to render it less nutritious to the child.

The Jury, after a short conference together,. gave
their verdict that the child died a natural
.death, but
accelerated by the distressed circumstances of the mother.
It did not appear that any application had been made
to the parish for relief.

ROBBERY OF THE BIRMINGHAM BALLOON COACH.—
Griffith Lloyd Turner and Lot Cartlidge, who were tried
and acquitted at the Manchester Summer Sessions, on a
charge of stealing the parcels containing notes of the
banks of Messrs. Taylors and Lloyds, and Gib Sins,
Smith and Co. of Birmingham, from the Balloon coach,
in December last, were on Friday tried and convicted
of having feloniously received part of the said notes,
knowing them to be stolen. This being the first con-
viction which has taken place under the Act of Parlia-
ment constituting it felony to receive stolen notes, the.
Court deferred passing sentence on the prisoners until
the ensuing January Sessions.
Tuesday se'nnight, as the sloop Diana, from Poly.
heeny for Greenock, was, off the Craig of Ailsa, the
master, DONALD M'Cumc, was in the act of giving
some instructions regarding the vessel, when he was sud-
denly struck by the main boom, carried overboard,
and perished.
A few days ago a Gentleman and Lady, who have
the care of a little dog, appeared before the Magistrates
at Hull, to make oath of the existence of their little
companion, one at them being entitled to an annuity of
.2.5/. during its life. he dog appeared atthe same time,
and was in good health.
Sunday tight, about eight o'clfick, a Gentleman very'
genteelly dressed,accosted another in Chiford• street, with
" Pray, are you not Mr. Long ?" "I am that person,'
was the reply ; upon which the inquirer struck him a
blow in the breast. ',l'he person accosted exclaimed,
" Ile has stabbed me," and so saying, ran away with
all speed. No person attempted totake.charge of the
accused, who stood still and never attempted to escape.
'l9 a person present he stated, that the villain whom he
had attacked had been his friend, but had treacherously
-seduced his wife,.and he had the night before detected
her and her paramour sallying from a house of ill-fame.
He was therefore determined to avenge his wrongs on
the villain.

It may be remembered that the grandson of the
nowned Prince Marshal BLUCHER, wha is a Lieutenant'
of Hussars, was arrested and examined for wounding
SICH, the performer, with a poignard, who had beaten,
him on finding him alone with his wife, an actress of
high pretensions to vistue. By the sentence against the
young Count, he (BLucnia) was, adjudged to undergo
three months' imprisonment in a fortress. His Majesty,
the King of PRUSSIA confirmed the finding of the Court
Order -` - folio,

LORD g41.441_ CW.447.

PRIVILRGIS OF CITIZIpTS.
Tin CUAMBVILAIN OF LONDON V. BFFWER.

Mr. BOLLAND stated, that this was an action which
Mr. Clarke, Chamberlain of London, was compelled to
bring against the defendant, for having violated an Act
of Common Council passed in the reign of James I. for
protecting the rights and privileges of the Citizens of
London. By that Act, which had been recognised by
Parliament, the penalty of 51. was inflicted upon any
one convicted in the offence of selling by retail, within
the City of London, without being possessed of the
freedom of the City—a privilege to be acquired either
by inheritance, servitude, or purchase. The defendant
was in a very extensive line of business as a green-grocer
and potatoe seller; he resided in Golden-lane, where he
carried on his trade without the necessary title.
The charge was proved, and the Jury found against
the defendant for the penalty of 5!.
It was mentioned in Court, incidentally, that Mr.
Brewer objected to the advice of his friends to become a
freeman of the City, in the fear that he should be elected
to the office of Sheriff.