CHAPTER XVII
LETTERS TO MR. MARTIN, MR. GEORGE, MR. CONNOLD AND MESSRS. COLEMAN AND SONS
Elm-bark and Ash-bark beetles—Roman remains—Bladder plums—The Silver Y-moth.
A number of interesting and important fresh subjects are here concisely treated in letters addressed to various British inquirers. These are merely characteristic samples of a vast amount of correspondence for which space could not be found.
To the Rev. John Martin, Charley Hall, Loughborough.
Torrington House, St. Albans,
April 2, 1897.
Dear Sir,—From your description of the elm-bark attack, I should certainly think that the maggots were those of the Elm-bark beetle, the destructor. If you do not feel certain after this hint as to the nature of the infestation, and will send me a little piece of bark, I will with pleasure examine it and report to you. This infestation does not injure the timber of the tree. The burrowings are mostly between the bark and the wood, though necessarily there are a number of borings through the bark, caused by the entrance and exit of the beetles. It would be desirable to fell the trees, and peel off the bark and burn it. The timber would be quite good (so far as this matter is concerned) but if the bark is left, the maggots will in due course develop to beetles and fly off to continue mischief elsewhere. Further I would suggest that you should direct your wood-superintendents to examine whether other elms show shot-like holes in their bark—the sign of the presence of the infestation. From your mention of the locality of the trees being rather damp, I should conjecture that the trees were not in absolutely perfect health, and this is the state of things the beetle prefers for its attack. Injured boughs, or moderately recently-fallen boughs, or, above all, felled elm trunks in which there is still sap, but not flow enough to stifle the little maggots, are the very headquarters of infestation, and it is quite worth while to have such felled trunks peeled and the bark destroyed, or they will be the nurseries of great mischief. If you will supply me with more detail I will with great pleasure give my very best attention.
Beetle, much magnified (from “Forest Protection,” by W. R. Fisher); workings in elm bark—from life.
FIG. 35.—ELM-BARK BEETLE, SCOLYTUS DESTRUCTOR, OLIV.
April 5, 1897.