Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-08

the other guests were Rev. and Mrs.
w. ]. Boyer of Mount Holly, and Rev.
and Mrs. John Hall of Gastonia. A
sumptuous dinner was served on the
lawn and a most delightful time was
had by all present. There were about
seventy-five in all present
THE PINE BEETLE.
Patches of Dying Timber a Menace to
the Healthy Trees.
Investigations have shown that a
patch of dying pines any where In the
southern states is a menace to the
healthy pine within a radius of three
or four miles. The broods of the
southern pine beetle developing In
the bark of trees of one such CEN
ter of infestation may swarm in any
direction and settle in the healthy
timber. Thus other large patches are
killed until nearly all of the large as
well as the small pine over extensive
areas is dead.
When these centers of infestation
are numerous within the area Of a
county or even a larger section OF ter
ritory, they can only be compared
with the starting of so many forest
fires and, as has been demonstrated.
they may lead to far greater destruc-
ton of merchantable pine than has
ever been recorded as resulting from
fire or from storm in the southern
states.
Requirements For Success In Protect
ing Healthy Pine.
The essential requirements for sue
cess in the protection Of the healthy
pine are:
First: General information regard
ing the habits of the beetle and a
knowledge of the methods Of control.
Second: Unity of action among
owners of pine in strictly adhering to
the essential details Of authoritative
advice. No one owner can insure the
protection of his timber so long as
there is a neglected patch of infesta-
ton within a radius Of two or three
miles.
The More Important Evidences and
Facts.
If in clumps or patches of pine
where there is no plain evidence OF
serious injury by fire, the foliage
fades to pale green and changes to
yellowish and pale brown, 1t indicates
that the trees are dying from the at
tack of the southern pine beetle, and
that the bark on such trees is infest-
ed with the developing broods OF
minute white grubs and Transforming
beetles. Therefore such trees are a
menace to the living trees.
2. If the trees have reddish brown
and partially fallen foliage or II all or
the foliage has fallen, it indicates
that the broods of beetles have
emerged and that the trees are no
longer a menace to the living trees.
8. If the trees die during the peri
cd between the first of March and the
first of October they will be aban-
doned by the broods Of beetles within
a few weeks after the foliage begins
to fade.
4. If the trees begin to die during
the period between the first OF Octo-
ber and the first Of December the
broods of beetles will remain In the
bark until in March or April. If the
trees die during the winter months
the broods will remain In the bark
until about the first of May.
5. If pine tree standing among
or near a grove or woods Of living
pine is either struck by lightning or
felled and barked or split into cord
wood during the summer and early
fall, it will, as rule, attract the bee
ties within a radius Of three or four
miles and result in the starting or
new center Of infestation and in the
death of large number of trees.
Essential Details in Recommended
Methods of Control.
There are certain essential details
in the recommend methods of com
batting the southern pine beetle
which must be observed in order to
avoid not only serious mistakes, but
possibly ultimate failure:
a. The principal clumps or patches
of dying trees which are actually In
tested by the broods Of the destruc-
tive beetle as indicated by the fading
and dying foliage or otherwise should
be located and marked during the
months of November, December, jan
uary and February. In order to do
this work properly experience or
special instruction is required. There
fore. some one who has had instruc-
tions should have charge Of the work
in each important area In which con-
troll work is to be undertaken.
b. The broods of the beetle In the
bark of the main trunks Of at least
rs per cent Of the infested trees with
in an area of eight or ten square
miles or more must be destroyed be-
fore they begin to emerge.
The broods may be destroyed py
one or more Of the following meth
DDS:
l. The removal and burning Of the
infested bark from the standing trees.
2. The removal and burning OF
the infested bark from the trees after
they have been cut down.
3. The scorching of the infested
bark or the burning of the bark and
wood after the trees are cut down.
4. The placing Of the infested por-
tions of the trunks in water.
5. The conversion of the infested
trees into cordwood and the use OF
the wood for fuel, or
6. The converting of the infested
trees into lumber or other products
and the burning Of the slabs or bark:
The best time to conduct control
operations against the southern pine
beetle is during the period between
the first of November and the first or
March.
Attempts should not be made to
control the beetle during the months
of June, July, August, September,
and October except under the specif-
ic advice and instructions Of an au-
thOriZed expert.
A. D. Hopkins,
In Charge Of Forest Insect lnvestlga-
tions.
The Great Pie Belt.