Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-03-14
Whlte.Plne Blister Rust.

In order to protect the white pine for.
ests Of the country from the disease
known as the white-pine blister rust, It
is proposed to place federal quarantine
on shipments of fve-lesved pines and
cultivated black currants from several
eastern states. A public hearing was
called recently by the Federal Horticul-
tural Board. The states which 1t Is pro-
posed to quarantine on this account are
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachu-
setts, Connecticut, New York, and Penn
sylvania.
The white-pine blister rust, like citrus
blight and blister blight, Is an imported
disease which was introduced into this
country on nursery stock before the
passage of the Federal plant quarantine
law. Ninety percent of the. infections
now In America came from single Ger
man nursery. The disease, 1t is said,
can be controlled In the eastern states,
where it now exists, but II It finds Its
way into the western forests there is no
likelihood 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 quarantine against
the relatively limited traffic In this stock
Is, therefore, believed to be necessary
preoaution.
As an additional safeguard, It also is
proposed to prohibit the entry of fve-
ieaved pine nursery stock from Canada,
and OF nursery stock Of currants and
gooseberries from Canada, Europe, and
Asia.
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 Pennsyl-
vania alone there are still 10 billion feet
of mature white pine, valued at not less
than 375, ,OOO, 900, and In the Lake states,
IL billion feet, valued at $96, ,0O0, 900. 10
the enormous forests OF the West the
White pine and sugar pine are among the
most valuable trees. At conservative
estimate, there are about 80 billion feet
of western white pine, which are worth
at least 800, ,OOO, 900. OF these, 20 billion
feet are In private holdings and 10 bill
lion feet in national forests. The value
of the mature sugar pine 10 placed In the
neiehborhood of $l50, 900, 900, the great
or part of which is in private hands.
In addition to its effect upon this
standing timber, the spread Of the dis.
ease would seriously interfere with the
planting of trees. At tho 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 too prevalent,
much land moro suitable for forestry
than for agriculture and I" which could
otherwise bear splendid forests Of white
pine will have 10 remain waste or be de-
voted to some inferior tree. It 10 esti-
mated that in New England, New York,
and Pennsy ylvanIa there are not less than
10 million acres to which this is appli
cable, and that In the Lake states there
are another 10 million.
The proposed quarantine will not only
be IN additional protection to the great
western forests, which are naturally iso-
lated from tho East by treeless plains,
but It will protect Is we'll those portions
of the eastern states which now lie ont
side the infected area. Maine, the Lake
states and the southern states have
never become Infected and need never DO
II the disease 10 controlled In the terri
tory In which it now exists. ~