Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-06-03
The Diving Pine Forests.

furnished to number of our exchanges
by Prot A. d. Hopkins, is full OF interest
to the people Of the Valley and West VIZ
einia, in view Of the lamentable desirnc-
ton of our pine timber and consequent
heavy losses that must result from the
ravages of these insects, which it would
appear have now gotten beyond all hui
man control. IL reads a sad lesson on the
necessity Of timely action in such matters.
Had the first appearance of these desiruc-
tive pests been promptly reported to such
entomologists as Prof. Hopkins and others
intelligent and feasible means might have
been found to check and exterminate
them:
"The widespread and universal death OF
pine timber which has been gong on in
portions of Hampshire, Hardy, Grant,
Pendleton and Mineral counties, West
Virginia; Bath, Highland, Augusta and
Rockingham counties, Virginia, and also
IN portions of Maryla nd, during the last
occurrence exciting much curiosity and
comment as to the probable cause. AT
the present time, the conditions, in the
best pine timbered districts in the affected
region, are really alarming, for if the
trouble continues. there will not be
Lying pine of any value in all of that
pine timbered portion of West Virginia
and Virginia lying between the Allegheny
range proper and the Blue Ridge, and ex-
tending at least 100 miles southwest from
Mary land, total area, possibly of six
thousand square miles.
Between the 2nd and eth of this month,
/ ira Geled about 140 miles through the
counties of Hampshire, Hardy Grant and
Pendleton for the purpose of observing
the condition of the pine forests, and to
investigate the trouble. examined large
numbers of the healthy, dying and dead
trees. aud my conclusions are that their
death is caused primarily by the attack OF
a single species of insect, a bark beetle,
(ths scientific name Of which is Dendroc-
tinus frOntalis) which has, under favorable
conditions increased 70 such great num-
bers that they attack perfectly healthy
trees, and by their operations in and IN
der the bark on the upper portion OF the
tres. produce a diseased condition, which
attracts hundreds of other species to their
assistance, and the death and destruction
of the trees so attacked is inevitable.
'The trouble begins in healthy forest
by one or two isolated trees or groups Of
trees dying the first year. Countless mil
lions of little beetles breed in these in
tested trees and emerge through the bark
TO attack other hearty ones, which die the
next year in great numbers, and by the
third year, as shown in the Southern por-
ton of Pendleton county, the entire forest
il killed for miles around. The best and
healthiest yellow and pitch pine trees
seem to be attacked first after which, the
trouble extends to the scrub pine and
later to the white pine.
"Had we known OF the troubls when it
first commenced possibly the spread could
have been prevented, to some extent, by
the introduction of parasites or natural
enemies of the destructive insect; or
valuable tracts Of timber might have
been saved by the cutting and burning OF
the first infested trees. At the present
time, however, it is too late to think oil
recommending or attempting to apply a
remedy. The troAble has extended far
beyond all human control, and nearly all
the valuable timber is either dead or dy-
ing. There is one thing that can be done,
however, to prevent total loss Of the
millions OF dollars worth of timber now
dying: that is, for owners to make an
earnest effort to convert all of the best
trees into lumber or square timber within
, year after they die. The lumber can be
, stacked up and saved for any length OF
r time, while the standing trees would be
worthless the second year after they die
, owing to the large boring grubs, asd to
decay.
While the destruction of the pine timber
is a deblorable fact, it is only one of the
many resources of the region mentioned
There are yet remaining, in comparatively
good health and vigor, immense forests OF
white and chestnut oak and other valu-
able timber the bark of the chestnut OAK
at the present time, being very i'm
portant item OF revenue. The region en-
braces some of the richest and most bean
tiful valleys in the world and large
portion of the highlands now covered
with dead pine, if cleared and sown to
grass, and stocked with sheep, would, il
properly managed, add greatly to the
wealth and prosperity of the now I'M
fortunate owners. The great mortality
among the pine, locust and spruce timber
of the State within the last ten years, il
sad example of the millions OF dollars
worth of property which may be destroy
ed by some of our smallest form of in
sects. The Importance. therefore, of con-
ducting Investigations with a view of
preventing like devastations in the future,
can not he doubted. 1t had been a
neglected field Of study of Etomologists,
mainly on account of its vastness, hence,
there is much to be learned by investiga-
ton and experiments.
We feel deep interest in the preserva-
ton of our forests. and believe that much
loss may be prevented by prompt action
IN utilizing some of Natures methods A;
one of which is the introduction of bene-
fetal insects. To be successful in this, as
in the application of other preventives
and remedies, we must be notified of the
first indications OF trouble, and have the
unstint-co. operation and assistance of the