=Wireworms.=—These occasionally do a great deal of damage in beds of seedling trees, particularly conifers, and in some instances they attack and destroy the seeds before germination. In the case of young conifers they are gnawed completely through just above or at the ground level, the beds in many instances being strewn with the cut-over plants. _Abies nobilis_ and _A. Nordmanniana_ suffer to a great extent, and I have frequently been at my wit’s end to put a stop to the repeated depredations. In the case of a newly-formed nursery or freshly-made-up seed-beds the attack of the wireworm is always most pronounced. In the case of fresh nursery ground, paring off and burning a couple of inches of the top soil in the autumn has been attended with excellent results, as has also dressing the ground with gas lime. When seedlings are attacked, hand-picking, with the use of sliced carrots, mangold or potatoes, varied with pieces of oilcake as a bait, are to be recommended. Dressing the seeds with red lead is very advantageous to prevent birds and mice from attacking freshly-sown quantities. Injury from wireworm is not likely to cause any serious consequences after the first year’s growth of the plants, especially if the ground has been kept clean and free from weeds during the egg-laying season in June. [Illustration: WITCH’S BROOM ON THE WILLOW (SUMMER APPEARANCE)] The above are only a few of the many insects that injure our forest trees; but those treated of are the most familiar to the forester, and those whose attacks he has most frequently to wage war against. Willow trees all over London are suffering severely from attacks of a mite insect. It is known as the “Witch’s Broom” on the Willow (_Eriophyes triradiatus_). Remedial measures are frequently of little avail, more particularly when a whole wood or plantation is attacked; but with single specimens the numbers may readily be lessened by the methods suggested. [Illustration: WITCH’S BROOM ON THE WILLOW (WINTER ASPECT)] Keeping the woodlands free of dead and dying trees and branches is a preventive of insect attacks that should never be neglected. As showing the injury that can be inflicted on our forest trees by some of these insect pests, the following cases may be mentioned:— During fifteen years (between 1853-68) the spruce in East Prussia, Poland and Russia was killed over an area of 7,000 square German miles; while in the Bavarian forests, the loss to the Revenue in one year was £40,000. In both cases the destructive insect _Liparis monacha_ was the cause of injury. CHAPTER XXII FUNGUS GROWTH ON TREES