The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-15
ATTACKS CHESTNUT TREES.
GROVES DEVASTATED BY A NEW
FUNGUS.


FUNGUS.
the Disease Reported IN Many States NO
Remedy Vet Found Causes Trees TO
Die Of Starvation Economic Value OF
the Chestnut Just Becoming Known.
new disease Of fungus origin Ia devas-
Eating the chestnut groves In New York. 1t
10 known TO exist In New Jersey, Maryland
and Virginia, but TO what extent has not
been learned. This can only be asoertained
by extensive field work
Two years or moro ago DR.. Charles Mohr
and DR.. j. X, Small found that the chestnut
trees In the middle lands Of Alabama and
Georgia were dying of rapidly. 1t Ia now
thought probable that this destruction Ia
due to the same disease.
The destructive character Of the disease
has aroused the apprehension Of thu Unttsd
States Bureau Of Agriculture, and VI Is now
seeking q remedy. DR., w. A. Murrill,
~mycologist at the New York Botanical
Garden, has been studying its origin, oharao-
ter and cure for upward Of a year.. AL
though he considers his experiments and
researches far from completed, the economic
value Of the chestnut and the importance
Of an early, systematio~ and general attack
upon the disease has led him to make an
early report Of the results attained.
The attention OF George w. Merkel,
forester and engineer at the New York
Geological Park, was attracted last autumn
by the number Of dead and dying chestnut
trees in the geological reservoir Bronx Park.
suSpecting the fungous origin Of the disease,
ha anra x1ol kkA vo,,p~ traAa In tha ~ rr
nurseries and the older trees In the grounds
with Bordeaux mixture. This had COM
paratively little effect. DR.. MurriA then
began a long series Of experiments. most
Of which have yet to be continued.
The fungus was found to be exceedingly
active at the beginning Of the season OF
growth before the opening buds were able
to utilize the large quantity Of nourishment
then available.
The way In which the fungus first enters
q chestnut tree Is largely q matter Of con.
lecture. The present superstition Is that
infection occurs only through wounds.
The treatment Of a disease Of such nature
must Of course be entirely preventive, DR..
Murrill says. When onoe allowed to enter
1t cannot be reached by poisons applied
externally, nor can the spores, which issue
continuously and a~bundantly through erup-
tions Of the bark, be rendered innoouous
by any coating applied at intervals.
On the other hand, no poisonous wash,
even though covering every part Of the
tree, oan prevent the termination Of the
disseminating spores when they fall into .
wound, since the wound opens up fresh
tissues unprotected by the poison.
Nursery trees, DR.. Murrill says, should
be pruned of all affec ed branches as soon
as they are discovered, and the wounds
carefully dressed with tar, or paint or other
suitable material. With older trees all
dead and infected wood should be out out
and burned and all wounds covered without
delay. Particular attention should be
paid to water, soil and other conditions Of
culture affecting the vitality Of the tree,
sinoe anything that impairs It's health
renders 1t less able 10 resist fungus attack.
\ The disease comes at q particularly bad
time, as the value Of the chestnut has
only begun to be appreciated in the United
States. Here the nut 10 known mainly a.
a luxury. In Europe chestnut. -four has
been In use for centuries. -,
It Is estimated that while an acre Of land
property cultivated will produce thirty five
bushels Of wheat annually, q like area Of
chestnut trees viii produce many moro
bushels OF equally nutritious food yearly
no outlay for cultivation. replantins or
Prof. Davis Of Buoknell Uni
versity, who is authority for this, admits.
however, that II will require time 10 change
the American taste for the vhitest OF bread
made from wheat -four to q liking for chest
The ohestnuthas another valuable quality
IN It's adsptability TO the reclaimfng Of
forest land denuded by the lumberman.
II 10 q tree Of rapid growth and the young
s shoot sh o s sRs ys,1 Sgg from r mt The roots r md
exoeiient stocks On wkich to graft the
various improved and moro or 1ess Quilt.
vated ohestnuts.
The success Of G. 4. Sober Of Lewisburg,
Pa, In establishing a chestnut grove early
sraoted the attention Of the Pennsylvania
issued q bulletin on the subject Of chestnut
tree culture. The Sober grove 10 located
about seven miles from Shsmokin. It now
includes 300 acres OF reclaimed land. Ho
has used the Paragon. chestnut for scdons,
four inches in circumference. with oooa-
sional specimens large enough to cover Q
Tho chestnut may be used as q vegetable
or ground into q -four for bread making or
r.eEtos ~ . sOIp 9 Wnlle IL
Italy, France, Spain and Turkey the nut
serves as n Of the chief articles Of food
Of peasants.
The peculiar d~cstruottveness Of the fungus
which threatens the annihilation Of this
vsluable product is due largely to It's mode
II attack. Feeding on the rich juices OF
he tree and working under cover Of the
bark the fungus goes In q circle until the
Tree or branch Is completely girdled, In
ts progress 1t dams the flow OF sap until,
he circle completed, most IL not all nourish-
Inc Of infection, and tree, branch or twie
lies practically Of starvation.
For PUBLIC RECREATION.