Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-12

growth, it was impossible at distance
to distinguish from scorching fire
The entire needles were withered or
dried out and were of a deep. rich
reddish brown. In several cases the
twigs themselves were killed back for
several inches. In fact acres OF young
trees in exposed localities which were
apparently healthy in the fall of 1907
We're entirely dead by the last Of May
1905. Usually the injury was confined
almost wholly to the north and north
west sides of the young trees, or If
they occurred in clumpS or We're other
wise protected it was confined to the
more exposed portions of the tree.
1.-The fact that the injury was con-
fined to one side of the young trees
was the most characteristic thing
about the trouble, for it was almost
universal occurrence with the trees up
to twenty feet or more in height.
"Nor was this injury confined to the
pine alone, for the spruces and frs
and some other conifers showed the
same trouble and in the same manner.
1t was especially severe in the case of
the arbor vitae. Hedges of this tree
were practically exterminated in some
localities.
microscopic examination by means
of sections of the needles of affected
pines and other cOniferS failed to show
any parasitic fungus constantly as
sociated with the disease. In fact
dead needles collected from trees early
in the season usually showed no signs
! of fungi of any kind. An opportun-
| ity came to examine the roots of trees
dug up out of an arbor vitae hedge
early in May. The hedge was ap-
rarently healthy in the fall before but
new foliage appeared practically dead
The roots appeared perfectly healthy
when dug up and the leaves showed
no sign of fungi upon them.
~ oung pines which were badly III
jured when first seen IN the spring
were kept under observation during the
summer and except in few case:
where the tree, like those at Bruins
wick, which were plainly affected will
an entirely different trouble. there wa:
no sign of distress on the needles formed
the present year The old needles ant
injured twigs gradually dropped off
and many of the trees by the first o
| llS e1ppSoi " ~
ing severely pruned off on one side
About July first it was noted that il
almost oVery case adventurous bud
were showing ard little turfs of new
needles were forming near the base o
| the injury on each tWlg.
1T is plainly evident then that mos
of the so-called white pine blight II
| Maine is not the same as what ha
been described as due to an obscur
cause and which occurs only In slight.
scattered localities. Farther than tha
there is every reason to believe tha
the present widespread injury is onl
temporary and due to adverse weathe
conditions.
"That practically all the so-calle
pine blight in Maine appeared in 100
and 1905 and was coincident with tn
most destructive winter injury to frul
trees known in the State for the las
hundred years; that it appeared sim
ultaneously in 1908 in all parts of tn
State at once; that it was largely con
fined to the more tender. rapidly grow
ing trees and was much worse on tn
more exposed portions of the tree; tha
the same trouble was observed on othe
conifers, all point to the conclusio
otherwise stated, the present trouble
only temporary and is due to adEers