The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-14
ITS BITE DEATH TO PINE TREES.
voc i'm the Western Pineries.
Washington Letter in St Paul Pioneer

voc i'm the Western Pineries.
Washington Letter in st. Paul Pioneer
Press.
After years of effort and constant vigil
lance the general land office, through it's
field officers has taken up ana successfully
stamped out, 10 a great degree, the depre-
dators which worked such devastation in
the great forest areas CT the West By
strict regulations the human depredator
was suppressed, if not estermiuated, and
by an adequate force of forest officials the
fire depredator has been held in check. and
damage wrought by this element has been
reduced to the minimum.
But now comes new depredator. which
has Just been called to the attention of
depredator that is making great inroads
into the forests of South Dakota and
laying waste great areas of valuable tim
Der. This worm is new arrival and lit
tie is known of him. The first time the
officials in Washington were informed Of
his presence and his deadly operations was
but few weeks ago, anG since then they
have been studying his anatomy and his
ways, in the hopes of al least giving him
a name and classification.
At the present time there are at least
two townships in the Spearfish river dis
trict Of the Black Hills forest reserve
which have been visited by this pest
and fully so per cent. Of the trees over that
area have been killed and half of those
remaining have been infected and VIII
die Foresters In that region have become
greatly alarmed at the deadly work of the
unknown depredator They say he began
his operation west and southwest or
Deadwood, and is now moving in a south
easterly direction, with no signs of stop
ping and il is feared that if-the advance
cannot be checked in some way a. great
part OF one of the finest pine forests in
the country will be destroyed.
From what little information Is obtain
able, it is supposed that this worm grows
from an egg deposited by some species
of bark beetle. The egg is deposited
under the bark and there matches. The
resulting worm is a common white worm
sometimes an inch or an inch and quar-
ter in length. white throughout except
its head, bright shiny brown. He seems
to possess marvellous vitality, as shown
by a sample that was sent to Washing
ton. Commissioner Hermann of the gem
eral land Office now has on his desk a
phial tightly corked. containing one OF the
the bottle and corked up nearly two
months ago, and since then has had
neither air nor nourishment, except pos
sbly, such air as would leak through an
ordinary cock, and to-day the worm is
alive and more actice than when he first
reached Washington.
Samples OF pine from the Spearfish dis
trict were submitted with the worm 10
show the effect of his bite. 1t seems that
h.. elN MT
he sets out 10 bore around the tree, under
the bark, apparently living on the sap.
1t is his bite that is fatal, for wherever
he eats his way he leaves a trail behind,
which soon discolors the wood. the dis
coloration working clear TO the heart OF
the tree. Wood which is normally white,
turns steel gray. and loses all its sap
and strength II is at once rendered UNI
understandable. by dlscoloration and loss of
strength. One worm in time will kill a
tree but It is generally found that each
dead tree has it's army of little white pests.
Another remarkable feature connected
with this depredator is that he may infest
a tree and poison il completely and yet
his presence will not be known for
months He is only detected by borings
through the bark. which occur at fire.
quent intervals, and these are seen only
on close inspection. Outwardly, the tree
remains unchanged Tor long time, the
first sign of destruction being the discol-
grafton of the foliage, which gradually
assumes a faded brown appearance, not
easily detected at first, but yet peculiarly
distinctive, inasmuch as 1t Is not the same
fading that accompanies the natural death
of the tree. After the foliage has dead
ened the tree stands. weak and tottering,
until wind strikes 1t. and then, from
sheer lack of strength, 1t topples over
The poisoned pine cannot Withstand even
a light wind, so much has its strength
been impaired.
Commissioner Hermann, in speaking of
this terrible depredator. said: That worm.
whatever 1t may be, is one of the most
dangerous destroyers of forests that has
ever come 10 the attention OF this office.
Our knowledge of him is decidedly mea-
ger, but every effort is being made to
learn more