Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-08-25
Forestry Department

Asloe from IRE. Wnlte pine blister
rust is undoubtedly the chief menace
to the production Of white pine in
New England" vas the statement
made Wednesday in an interview by
Samuel T. Dana, forest commissioner
Of Maine, who has just returned from
a trip TO Washington, D. G. 10 re-
quest the secretary Of a agriculture 70
include in his appropriation estimates
for the next fiscal year an increase
Of 5000 900 in the item for Control Of
the White Pine Blister Rust. Com
missioner Dana was one Of a delega-
ton, including representatives from
all OF the New England states, New
York, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
In all Of these states" said Mr..
Dana, the disease has attained so
strong a foothoid that unless prompt
action is taken to prevent its spread,
1t may in time virtually wipe out
white pine as a tree of commercial i'm
portance, in the same way that the
chestnut is being exterminated by the
chestnut bark disease.
The white pine blister rust re-
sembles the barberry rust OF wheat
and the cedar rust Of apples. in that
it is a parasite having two hosts both
Of which are necessary for the compile
ton Of its life cycle In the case Of
the blister rust, white pine IS one Of
the hosts. and currants or gooseDer-
ries, whether wild or cult
, waited, the other. One Of the strik-
ing characteristics Of the disease is
that il will not spread from one pine
tree TO another, but must spend part
Of it's life on a currant or gooseberrv
leaf before 1t can again attack a
pine. This ma kes control Of the dis
ease relatively easy as compared
with such a disease as the chestnut
blight which spreads directly from
tree to tree, since its spread can be
prevented by the simple remedy Of
removing the currants and gooseber-
ries in the neighborhood Of white
pine stands.
Work along this line has been I'M
der way for a number Of years. but
not on a sufficiently large scale to
control the disease Unfortunately
the slowness with which it first
spreads among the pines. and with
which individual trees are killed.
makes ii difficult to arouse pine own
ers to the seriousness of the disea So.
no cure for which, other than eradi-
cation of currants and gooseberries
has been found. Nearly all the af
fected states are appropriating funds
ntrG1 Nf
operation with private owners. and
in this work the federal government
has been assisting TO a very limited
extent.
The problem of saving white nine
is generally recognized as Of national
importance, and it is for this reason
that the delegation, which recently
waited upon the Secretary Of Agri-
culture. felt that there should be a
decided increase in the financial CO.
operation offered by the government
The situation is closely anala gous to
the prevention of forest fires. for the
| control Of which, in cooperation
with the states, the federal govern
ment has for 10 years appropriated
'N''' "hiNl LlIIS year amount to
100000. The beneficial results of this
cooperation are clearly seen in the
impetus which it has given to the de-
velopment by the states Of effective
fire protective organizations.
Similar cooperation in the con-
troll of the white pine blister rust is
equally needed. and would prove
equally valuable, particularly at this
time when the white pine growing
states are confronted by an emergen
cy which the people generally have
not recognized.
All who are interested in the pro-
duction of white pine. and this
should include all citizens of New
England. should do everything in
their power, not only to impress upon
| the Secretary of Agriculture. and
congress the need for federal assist
ance. but to bring about through To-
cal activities on the part of towns
and cumberland owners the eradica-
tion OF currants and gooseberries.
BY this means alone can the disea Sc
be controlled and the continued pro
auction of one of the most important
| timber trees in New England be as
sured"