N 7
Specimens of the beetle were forwarded to the Forest Entomologist, Hawaii, for identification purposes and the species was provisionally identified as Ips (Tomicus) proximus Eich.
A collection of specimens made subsequently was forwarded to the Forest Entomological Officer, Dehra Dun and proved to be of beetles secondary to the attack of the Ips sp., which were identified as follows: Pelicerus sp., Crypturgus sp. nov., Xyleborus pinicola, Laemophloeus sp. and Monochamus sp. Protective measures were adopted as follows; all dead and infested trees were felled, the bark, top wood, and brushwood were burnt on the spot, and the timber was removed to the depot. The attack is thought to be connected with the weakening of the trees by the severe typhoons of 1936 and 1937. Cheung Chau Island suffered heavily from the insect attack and it received also the full force of the typhoons.
30. Dendrolimus punctatus (Pine Caterpillar).—Attacks by this caterpillar were confined to a small area and were on a small scale. The treatment given in previous years appears to be having a good effect.
31. Mycological Note—In the neighbourhood of Kowloon Reservoir, the needles and leading shoots of some of the pine trees (Pinus Massoniana Lamb.) frequently exhibit symptoms of an attack by a fungus. Infected needles exhibit a dying back from the apex towards the base. Microscopic examination of the needles shows fungal hyphae in the tissues and a characteristic accumulation of resin in the resin ducts. Affected trees have not been observed to succumb to the attack of bark borers (Ips sp. etc.). It is proposed to obtain an identification of this fungus in due course.
32. Government Fuel Supply. This has been mentioned earlier under "Out-turn of Fuel." It is satisfactory to note that the scheme proceeded smoothly during the year and that the outturn was more than required for Government purposes (the latter being 700 tons per annum). At the same time, it must be realised that the supply is not inexhaustible, and it is advisable that definite arrangements should be made whereby future supplies will be assured. During the next few years, supplies will be provided from systematic cleaning of the forest areas, and these may or may not hold out until the areas envisaged for fuel purposes attain suitable dimensions for felling purposes.
33. Other Activities—The following matters are subsidiary to the forestry work of the department but are carried out by the forestry staff.
34. Miscellaneous Tree Planting—This concerns planting in connection with roadsides, public playgrounds, Government buildings, etc. Plantings of this nature were as follows: Hong Kong Island 2908, Mainland 5146, Cheung Chau Island 1210 Total—9264. Species used in this work were the following: Acacia confusa Merr., Aleurites triloba Forst., Bauhinia variegata L., Bauhinia Blakeana Dunn, Bauhinia purpurea L., Cassia fistula L., Cassia glauca Lam., Callistemon rigidus R.Br., Casuarina equisetifolia L., Celtis sinensis Pers., Cinnamomum Camphora Nees, Crataeva religiosa Forst, Delonix regia Rafin, Liquidambar formosana Hance, Melaleuca leucadendron L., Sapium discolor Muell-Arg., Sapium sebiferum Roxb., Sterculia lanceolata Cav., Tristania conferta R.Br..
35.
Brushwood Clearing—In Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories, areas cleared of brushwood and undergrowth generally totalled 2,680,340 square feet. Other clearings carried out in connection with surveys, building developments, and traffic requirements amounted to 764,970 square feet. This makes a total of 3,445,310 square feet or about 79 acres. This item has sometimes appeared in reports as anti-malarial undergrowth clearing. It is considered that this is a little misleading, as the routine clearings carried out are on crown land and consist for the greater part of the removal of scrub and long grass from open spaces, around buildings, private lots, etc. Clearing for anti-malarial works such as training of nullahs, etc. is done when requests are received from the departments concerned.