The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-02-01
MAY QUARANTINE
PINE TREES IN
THE EAST
Control Of the Blister Rust
Planned by Federal De-
partment of Agriculture.

WASHINGTON, Feb. lin order to
protect the white pine forests OF the
country from the disease known as
the white pine blister rust. II is pro-
posed TO place 4 federal quarantine on
shipments Of five leavcd pines and
cultivated black currants from sew
eral eastern states. A public hearing
on the question was held by the
federal horticultural board at the de-
partment Of agriculture. Washington,
on February 4. The states which 1t
is proposed TO quarantine on this ac-
count are New Hampshire. Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York,
and Pennsylvania.
The white pine
Blister Rust
like citrus blight and blister blight,
is an imported disease which was in
troduced into this country on nursery
stock before the passage Of the fed
eral plant quarantine law. Ninety per
cent of the infections now in America
came from a single German nursery.
The disease, II is said. can be con-
trolled in the eastern states, where II
now exists. but If il finds its way into
the western forests there is no likeli-
hood that its spread can be success
fully checked. AT the present time
these forests are free from blister rust
and it can only be introduced into
them through nursery stock OF five
leaved pines or currants. A Quaran-
tine against the relatively limited traf-
fc in this stock is, therefore, believed
to be a necessary precaution.
AS an additional safeguard, it also Is
proposed to prohibit the entry Of five
leayed pine nursery stock from Can
ada and Of nursery stock of currants
and go~oseberrics from Canada, Europe
and Asia. These questions will be
considered at the same hearing as the
proposed domestic quarantine.
The importance of protecting the
white pine forests from the blister
rust may be inferred from the fact
that in New England, New York and
Pennsylvania alone there are still
fifteen billion feet OF mature white
pine valued at not less than S75,000.-
600 and in the lake states. twelve bill
lion feet valued at $685. 0 1000. In the
enormous forests of the West the
white pine and sugar pine are among
the most valuable trees. At a
Conservative Estimate,
there are about thirty billion feet of
western white pine which are worth
at least 100000, 900. OF these, twenty
billion feet are in private holdings
and ten billion feet in national for
ests. The value of the mature sugar
pine is placed in the neighborhood Of
$3.50, 100000 the greater part of which
is in private hands.
In addition to its effect upon this
standing timber, the spread Of the
disease would seriously interfere with
the planting of trees. At the present
time the white pines are among the
principal varieties planted, not only
by private owners, but also by cities,
states and the national government.
II blister rust is allowed to become
prevalent, much land more suitable
for forestry than for agriculture and
which could otherwise bear splendid
forests of white pine will have to re-
main waste or be devoted TO some in
ferior tree. 1t is estimated that in
New England, New York and Penn
syvania, there are not less than ten
million acres to which this is aDpli-
cable and that in the lake states there
are another ten million.
The proposed quarantine will not
only be an additional protection to
the great western forests. which are