The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-02-28
EXPERTS ON CHESTNUT BLIGHT
Wayne County Observation-Disclosures
Held in Harrisburg-No Way
Known by Which Trees May
Be Mnde Immune.

week by representatives of a score of
States and the national and Cana
dian governments, is made the sub
ject of an interesting report by the
experts of the United States Depart
men of Agriculture, which has Just
been made public. This report was
presented to the blight conference
without being read, but will appear
in the proceedings.
The report, which represents the
very last word in regard to the dis
ease, is as follows:
This disease, which was first rec
ognized as serious in the vicinity of
New York city in 1904, appears to
have been present on Long Island
as early as 1898. Its origin is un-
known, but there is some evidence to
indicate that it was imported from
the Orient with the Japanese chest
nut. In southwestern Connecticut,
southeastern New York and north
eastern New Jersey a majority of the
chestnut trees are already dead from
the bark disease. Outside of this
area in western Connecticut, eastern
New York, western New Jersey,
southeastern Pennsylvania, northern
Delaware and northeastern Maryland
the chestnut trees are practically all
infested. Outside of this area from
the northern border of Massachu-
setts and from Saratoga county, New
York, sOuthwestward to the western
border of Pennsylvania and the
southern border of Virginia, scatter
ing areas of infection are known to
occur and may be expected at any
point SO far as is known the dis
ease is limited to the true chestnuts
and chinquapins. 1t is not certainly
known to occur on oaks, beeches,
horse Chestnuts or other forest trees.
A Fatal Disease. %
The bark disease appears ulti nate
ly to exterminate the chestnut trees
in any locality which it infests. The
| financial loss from this disease in and
about New York city was estimated
| three years ago at between $1,000
600 and 100000. A conserva-
tive estimate made in 1911 by the
experts in the Bureau of Plant In
dustry indicates a loss in the States
| infected, up to that time, of $25,-
| 100000. The heaviest damage thus
! far has been to chestnut trees in To-
calities where this species is grown
chiefly for ornamental purposes, rath
er than for lumber. 1t has now
reached point in it's spread where
the entire chestnut timber belt of
the United States, comprising por-
tions of the States of Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Rhode Isalnd. Connecticut, New
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Del
aware, Maryland, Virginia, West Vir-
| ginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Ten
nessee, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama and Mississip-
| pi is menaced. AS the disease is
spread from tree to tree by spores of
the fungus which caused it, the
spread is usually rapid after single
tree in locality is infected.
There is evidence that the spores
are spread through short distances
by rain; through longer distances it
appears possible that it is spread
also by birds, insects and rodents,
such as squirrels. The disease is
carried bodily for considerable dis
tances in tan bark and in Embarked
timber derived from diseased trees.
1t is also frequently transported on
diseased nursery stock.
No Immunization.
No method of immunizing individ-
ual trees is yet known and no meth
cd of treating or curing them when
once attacked is certain in its re-
suits. This being the case, so far
as the chestnut forests are concern
ed, the only practicable method OF
dealing with the situation is that OF
prompt location of isolated centers of
infection in advance of the main line
of the disease, coupled W tn the
prompt cutting out and des truction
of such scattered diseased trees. This
method has been tested sufficiently to
indicate that it is practicable to con-
troll the disease where the situation
is effectively attacked before a gener-
al infection has resulted In addi-
ton to this, it may be found neces-
sary to establish an immune zone by
destroying all chestnut trees, dis
eased or healthy, in a belt ten to
twenty miles wide, or possibly less,
in advance of the main area of in
lection, with a view to barring its
progress. A regional quarantine of
chestnut products likely to move
from the area of complete infection
to protected territory may be found
necessary. This is now a subject OF
consideration in the investigations
that are under way.
Ihe disease having already done
much damage in eastern Pennsylva-
mia and northeastern Maryland, but
not having appeared to a destructive
extent in the State farther South, il
is peculiarly important at this time
that effort be made to stay the pro-
gress of the disease before it reaches
the heavily timbered chestnut areas
of Maryland; West Virginia, Virginia
and the mountain regions farther
South. The fact that the State OF
Pennsylvania has appropriated $275,.
600 for the eradication or control OF
the disease within its borders is an
indication of the Importance with
which the matter Is regarded there
Congressional action with view Of
making possible effective cooperative
effort to control the disease by Fed,
eral authorities in cooperation with
the authorities of the several State
interested, before it is spread to q
point beyond control, appears to bt
of the utmost importance.
Administrators Notice.
, Estate of Mary Robacker, late Of