Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-12-25
BLISTER RUST HERE
To STAY and IS REAL
DANGER, WORD COM'R

rendering his report to Governor
Ralph O. Brewster covering work
done to check the spread of white
pine blister rust in Maine during the
past two fiscal years, State Forest
Commissioner Neil L. Violette de-
clares that the disease is here to
stay; that 1t is firmly established and
is real menace, one that must not
be taken lightly if Maine is to con-
tinue> her standing as white pine
state.
in Maine and other northeastern
pine growing states, pine owners
are much concerned with white pine
blister rust, Commissioner Violette
asserts. Evidence of its destructive
ness are being discovered in new
locations each year; infection in re-
production running as high as Is to
80 per cent existing in sample plots
in many townships. Blister rust
flags" and killed trees are seen
along every roadside.
This condition has become general
over the entire southern half of the
State within a period of 10 years.
The disease was first found in Maine
in 1916 at Kittery Point, but now, in
1926, it is established throughout the
entire white pine growing regions of
the Stationery township has the
rust.
Young Growth Endangered
It is our young white pine growth
that is endangered-a vast acreage
of growth that should replace 1.-THE
timber now being removed so rapidly.
Within the State hundreds Of thou
sands Of nursery grown white pines
are planted early, but it is an I'M
questionable fact that blister rust
kills many times this number of wild
pine in the same period of time.
Blister rust kills mature. trees also,
but they die slowly and are readily
salvaged before their lumber deter
iorates. 1t is the, immature stands
the forests Of the future-that are in
immediate need of protection.
This disease, unlike some other tree
troubles, may be controlled by man
at a reasonable cost of time and
money, and the perpetuation of our
white pine crop assured, by simply
removing all currant and gooseberry
bushes within 900 feet of white pine
trees. These plants are the alternate
hosts of the disease, and are its sole
distributors to white pine trees, as
only by their presence within the
above mentioned distance to white
pine trees can the disease be spread
to other white pine trees. The di-
sease can not spread from one tree
to another, but must go first to a
currant or gooseberry bush and then
back to the pine. The removal of
these bushes for 900 feet gives effec-
tive control OF the rust because the
pineinfecting spores of the disease
are exceedingly short lived, dying
quickly after they are blown away
from the currant and gooseberry
bushes.
Progress in Control Measures 1921
In 1922 the State and Federal
governments entered into a co-opera-
tive eight year blister rust control
program, in which the State, with
such Federal and town aid as may
be available, handles the necessary
educational, scouting and supervi-
sorry work, but the actual eradicat ton
of the pine destroying bushes mus.
be done by the private owner at his
own expense. That this method of
conducting the work has been very
successful is borne out by the thou
sands of cooperating pine owners,