Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-08-04

, dreaded blister rust, which has played
great havoc with the white pine in other
! states and the forestry department has
been taking every available precaution
against its appearance and spread in our
forests, but in spite of all the pest has
made its appearance. The outcome OF
the introduction of the white pine blister
in Maine Is uncertain, but that 1t Is q
grave situation, causing great amount
Of alarm In the states where it has
gained foothold and among the federal
authorities is certain. A letter just re-
ceived by Forest Commissioner Frank e.
Mace from Charles D. Woods. director Of
the Maine Agriculturist Experiment Sta
tion at the University Of Maine. voices
the situation in clear terms. 1t follows:
Orono, Me-, Aug. l, 1916
Hon. Frank E. Mace,
Land Agent and Forest Commissioner
Dear Sir:-It is possible that Mr.. Posey
scientific assistant for the United States
Department Of Agriculture, has reported
| directly to you as he did to me that he
| has found the white pine blister rust in
New Gloucester. Cumberland county,
| and nearly all over the section around
Sanford, Alfred and Lyman in York.
have written the Governor, advising him
of this report and calling his attention TO
the law which was passed last year that
| established a crop pest commission.
which will. if he thinks wise, be called
into connection with this very serious
menace to the pine.
The Crop Pest Commission referred to
in Director Woods letter was created by
the following enactment Of the 77th
Legislatures:
Chapter 147, IAN Act to Create a Crop
Pest Commission"
Section IA Crop Pest Commission"
consisting of the Governor of the State,
the Attorney General of the State, the
Commissioner of Agriculture, the path
ologist of the Maine Agricultural Expert
ment Station and the entomologist OF
the Maine Agricultural Experiment Sta
tion is hereby created.
S. B. Detwiler of Philadelphia, the for
estry expert who has been called in by
the federal government to assist the Bu-
reau Of Plant Industry in investigating
the white pine blister rust, is firmly Of
the opinion that the white pine forests
of America will be wiped out, unless
radical action is at once taken. He has
already reported extensive nroads of
the disease in New England and his in
vestigations have been followed by dis
coveries of it in Wisconsin by J. G.
Flanders, the Wisconsin state entomolo-
gist. Mr.. Sanders has been urging Min
nesota and Michigan to join Wisconsin in
fighting the pest. Mr.. Detwiler says:
$50 much blister rust is cropping up
and we lack so many facts regarding it's
extent, that l feel there is very little
chance to ever control it. 1t would take
half a million dollars next year to pull
enough wild and cultivated currants and
gooseberries over large areas to check
it. We have found places where 1t
jumped stretches of water two and a
half miles across We are also finding it
right along in commercial nurseries and
the Federal Horticultural Board permits
shipments Of stock throughout the white
pine area.
"Unless wide interest is Immediately
aroused. or when we announce results
at the end of the season, I fear that the
white pine Is doomed. because after next
year 1t will have too big start and it
may even now be too late"
That the matter is being taken up by
the leading lumbermen of the country is
shown by the following statement just
sent out from Washington by the Ma
tional Lumber Manufacturing Associa-
tion Of Chicago:
Inquiry at the executive department
disclosed no knowledge Of the Crop Pest
Association ever having been called into
active life.
Section 2This commission may direct
the commissioner of agriculture to make
such regulations as are deemed neces-
sary to prevent the introduction into the
State of Maine, or the dissemination
therein, of any insect. pest or plant
disease, seriously injurious to vegeta-
tion.
Section SIN this act and in any regu-
lation made therein vegetation" shall
mean any tree. shrub, vine. vegetable
or other plant, or any product, or any
other portion of the tree, shrub, vine,
vegetable or other plant; Nursery
stock" shall mean all fruit and ornamen-
tai trees shrubs and vines, and it shall
include currant, gooseberry and raspber-
ry bushes.
Section LThis act does not repeal any
Of the existing laws relating to the pro-
lection of trees and shrubs. (Approved
N6o~o,, - fo1KN