The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-01

a square mile of the New England
states or New York where there are
white pines and currents or goose
berries is free from the disease In
this area the white pine as a tree
has been abandoned. Infected areas
in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Michigan, Minnesota and South Da-
kota have been found. All these lat
ter have been probably eradicated ex-
cept in Minnesota where the disease
has gained such a start that eradica-
ton is impossible and local control
measures are being practiced in an
endeavor to prevent the further spread
of the disease.
| White pine blister rust is a disease
quite similar in life history to grain
rust. The grain rust spends part or
it's life on the barberry and part on
the grain. White pine blister rust
spends part of its life on the white
pine mad part upon currents or goose
berries. The presence of both white
pine and either gooseberries or cur
rents is essential for the spread of
this disease.
The disease attacts the pines
through the young shoots, spreading
down the branch to the main trunk of
the tree. 1t has been known to girdle |
trees that were thirty years old The
chief danger from the disease is in
the destruction of the seedlings. Ma
ture trees will be affected by the dis
ease only in the reduction of incre-
ment due to destruction of branches.
The killing of the branches also gives
an opening for the invasion of more
destruction fungi.
On the pine the disease will first
be noticed by slight swelling on the
tree with the bark broken showing in
the early spring whitish, resinlike
material, coming from the cracks of
the bark. In late spring a yellowinh
powder occurs in these cracks. It is
this powder which will spread the
disease to the currants or gooseber-
ries. This powder will not spread the
disease to other pines but must go
to the gooseberry or currant and after
spending the latter part of the sum-
mer on these plants again returns to
the pine. The stage on the currant
and gooseberry is different from that
on the pine in that it may spread from
bush to bush. This stage, therefore is !.
the most rapid means of spread of |
the disease. The disease on the leaves
Of the currant and gooseberry in mid
die summer, may be noted by a spot
ted effect on the upper surface of the
leaves. If the under surface of the
leaves is examined little yellowish ,
prostitutes will be found which again
are a pOwdery mass. Late in the fall
little brownish, curled hair-like struc- {
lure appear on the under sides of the
caves. Anyone finding a disease of
his nature should send the material
o the forestry school at the Universe
y of Idaho. Moscow, at once for ex-
animation.
Methods Of control consist in the de-
of the gooseberries and cur
ants in an infested area as well as +
! continuous inspection of possibly .
Infected pine for a long period of
ears. 1t is known that in this coun- !.
ry pines may be infected and not
how the disease for two or three
ears. This period, may sometimes be
s high as eighteen years, according Q
o reports from European investiga
prs; hence the necessity for continu-
d inspection of the pines.
The important point is to prevent 9
he spread of the disease into the
est In spite of the quarantine by
lie federal horticultural board for
idding the shipping of white pines,
ooseberries or currants from any
tates lying east of a line running
'est of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri,
rkansas and Louisiana; many goose
erries and currants are coming into
lie west through the mails, express
ackages, in nursery stock and ev-
| in household goods.
The condition of the quarantine laws
the different states are very bad.
)me states have no laws for inspec-
on while other states have laws for
spection and quarantine but no ma
linery to inforce the laws. These =