Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-12-20
FUNGUS CHECKS RAVAGES
OF THE TIMBER BEETLE
turious and Valuable Result Of ~
pcrimcnt- in Black His of North
Dakota nv Forestry service.


Washington. Dec. is-Tho banl
beetle. which for several years has
been working havoc In the vaIuabI,
pine timber Of the Black HIS. :. -.
has apparently been given a check b,
a fungus which finds in the dyinL
trees a congenial place Of Judgment
and at the same time kills the beetle.
in the bark. There is hope that the
worst of the scourge Ia that region
has passed.
For ten years this beetle has been
sweeping through the Black Hills
forests, every yea invading fresh
areas. The total amount Of pin de-
stroyed 10y II is rcckoned at not less
than one billion feet board measure.
At the present stumpage price OF
green timber in South Dakota. this
loss would amount 10 5000. 600. 1t
now appears that its maximum de-
structiVeness was reached about two
year ago, and Il is nov on the decline.
Two years ago tho discovery was
made that a fungus was az work Ia
the timber killed by the beetles. in
which the broods were passing their
infant stages preparatory Ia taking
Hight 90 new forests. II was noter
vs. NHAHN HANNA NNNaN o. ~ H \
20 the young beetles. but the fun cx-
tent Of The work done by the fungus
has just been made known ina a. re-
port covering Investigations of many
months by the forest service.
The fungus IS "a bark peeler. EN-
perts have claimed ali the time thar
he beetles could be checked if some
way could De found To peel the trees
In which the young broods are hai-
boring. They live M the inner bark
ana next To the wood. When the barb
Is separated from the wood their gall
leries are laid open and they die. Eff
forts have been made in the affected
districts 10 peel standing trees. Ma
Chinery mas been made for that eN-
press purpose. and trunks were STRIPE
ped 60 a height or twenty feet. But
20 large are the affected areas that
the few trees peeled were not a drot
in the bucket
Efforts were made at different
times 90 cut the dying timber Tracts
We're sold 90 min men and larg,
quantities We're cut. hut not enough
20 have any appreciate effect ON the
beetle Invasion. Wnndpeckcrs helped
the work along They Hooked 90 the
dying trees by hundreds ana stripped
them Of their bark and deVoured the
young bcCtos by the millions But this
was not enough, The pests had gained
Roadway that 10 was beyond the
power Of bark-peclers, log cutters. and
wnodpcckers
Meanwhile the peculiar fungus was
gaining hcadway and getting in its
work, II appears in the form uf q
graNish slime between the bark ana
the wook II makes the bark loose
which falls. leaving the trees bare
and bringing down tho multitudes ~
Young beetles To- their certain death
b. HH HLa h8HL LHHIH IanmL A. Oh
'runk4 the effect on the beetles IS
apually fatal. for they die in their
galleries and larNc mines.
The habits and llfc history of thi-
bark beetle render % dcfousclcze when
tttackcd hy the fungus The parent
beetles horcs "a gallery several inrhe,
.onE in ulo inner layers of bark
at intervals along 10Th sides 30
he gallery often as many as go or 90.
These eggs hatch and while ln tho
afNaI state they bore short galleries
20 right angles 90 the parent tunnel
lhcN remain there q year. eating ana
truNing Their d~cprcdauous kNl the
most Vital part nf tHr trte-inp tlm-|
iIum though the tops and needles %
rot succumb at once and it IS az THAT
that the fungus appears auc
utug~ the career of the beetle brood
% a close.
ln normal conditions fl probably
% few NEhtuiuE-sfrtrk trees in
ht PROPER decline to suit it- purposes
.r It mav attack torm-thrpwu tim
but 20 i- not numerous enough fo
600 trees % its Invasion can nor
headwHN hut when some uu-
cuudifiun-sugh as caused hN =
hurricane sweeping uNef a large time
arca-pruNldcs g start the beetles
may Increase in numbers unfi thrN
rN to attack vigorous trees ane
DOB them. aud m ffHt uhHn Ile tUi-
is at its height th.y almost iu.
lr'HhIN attack living trees
This E What happened Boo the Hiach
..ll~ Do invasion continue uutf
tuemN reduces tho beetles helor
De- point where hes are able fp kus
mhsI That puts an end Co the Boz
asiun This b. apparently what the
ineue Is accomplishing DOB che Black