Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-08-05

An account of the habits and work oil
the pine weevil was recently published
Doctor N. W. Blackman Of the New
York State College of Forestry at Syra.
cuse, who is associated with the Maine
Agricultural Experiment Station and the
Department of Forestry this season while
studying the insect pests of Maine foresI
trees. suggests the following practical
approach to a campaign against one of
the greatest mepsces of the forests of
Maine.
The white pine weevil Is best controlled
by cutting off the infested leaders still
containing the grubs and destroying
them by burning. This must be done
before the beetles have emerged which
in Maine usually occurs during the latter
part Of July. IL any apprecisble and
lasting good results are to be accom-
plished the work must be thorough
This means that every infested leader
must be destroyed whether il be- on q
worthless roadside "pins bush" or on a
cherished lawn or park tree The bee
ties are possessed of wings and readily
hy for considerable distance so that all
OF the infested trees of a locality must
be treated to accomplish aIy lasting re
suits. This means that cooperation or
community work is most desirable and
effective.
Plantations Of white pine or Norway
spruce should be inspected for pine wee
vii work several times during the months
of June and July, and all leaders which
are whiting or turning brown should be
removed and burned. Their mere re-
movsl does no good as the grubs contin-
ue to grow in the broken off leader and
the adults will emerge as successfully as
if it were still attached to the tree. Ma
tive trees adjacent to the plantation must
also be treated similarly. Plantations
known to be infested should also be
treated at intervals of a week or 10 days
during the latter part Of April and May
when the beetles are laying their eggs in
the leaders. With a little practice the
weevil can be readily seen upon the lead
ers just below the terminal group of
buds. When the tree is Jared, the bee
ties will release their hold of the stem
and drop to the ground. This habit
makes it possible to collect them. very
readily by placing an insect net or any
other receptacle at one side of the termi-
nal leader and tapping the other side
with a stick, causing the weevil to drop
into the receptacle. The beetles then
collected may be destroyed in any man
ner desired, but perhaps the least troub-
lesome way is to dump them in vessel
containing crnde petroleum or kerosene.
There is no scientific reason why the
white pine weevil should not be con-
trolled throughout the state and their
numbers so reduced that pine or spruce
tree infested by them should become
rarity instead of one Of the most CON-
mon of sights. There is no real reason
why the "stag-horn" pines and the
''bushy" pines so common along our
roadsides, in our woodlots and IN our
plantations should not In few years
give place to symmetrical trees growing
in the way nature intended them to
grow. No reason why these unsightly
stunted trees should not be replaced by
objects of real beauty, and from being OF
no value should become the producers OF
the most valuable timber which it Is
possible to grow in the state. Ii Is
practical proposition to control this dev
astator of our most valuable forest tree.
ALI that is necessary is concerted CO.
operative effort by all land owners di-
rected by a corps of experts hired by the
state. The cost would be considerable,
but not at ali excessive when the In
creased value of our woodlots is taken
into consideration. The state would be
a more attractive place TO live in and the
coming generations would not only re-
ceiye a heritage of greater beauty out
could also reap q crop OF immensely
greater value.
If YOU, Mr.. Summerdweller, are inter-
ested in the beauty of your summer
home, do what you can to clear your own
trees of this destroyer Of the beauty OF
your surroundings. Talk it over with
your friends and neighbors and interest
them in doing likewise. Work up com
munity effort in Kidding the nelgnoor-
hood of this pest. And you, Mr.. Wood
ot.owner, inquire the price OF white pine
lumber: then sit down and figure out the
difference in value between one OF your
s'stag- horn" pines or one OF your pine
bushes" and q symmetrical we'll grown
tree of the same age. Then see what you
can do in your oommunity.-CHAs. D.
WOODS. Director.