The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-05-04
Blister Rust
Still Spreading

lSSOOLA.-BeCduSe SUFFICIENT I
funds are not available to put ade-
quate numbers of control workers
in the field, blister rust-the scourge +
of vast valuable white pine forests
IN northern Idaho. eastern Wash I
ineton, and western Montana-is
still spreading faster than protec
lion forces can keep up with t.
This is the conclusion drawn from
the annual report just issued by the
bureau of entomology and plant
quarantine at Spokane, responsible
in cooperation with the United
States forest service for directing
and supervising control measures.
The report shows that much
progress has been made and the
disease definitely checked on about
two-thirds of the 100000 acres in
the affected area. Remaining 10 be
given protection for the first time
however, are 100000 acres or APP
proximately one-third of the area
over which the disease is spreading
at an alarming rate With this large
area left to be given first working
IN addition to practlcing malnte-
nance control work on areas already
covered once or twice before, the
report indicates that the program
IS not progressing rapidly enough to
keep up with the spread of the
disease
Blister rust does not spread from
pine to pine. but only through in
lection of wild currant and goose
berry bushes, which in turn infect
the trees. Since the disease cannot
spread except through the currant
and gooseberry bushes. the job of
controlling the scourge is simply
one of eradicating these pestilential
plants from the pine forests. This
IS entirely practical and possible,
say the foresterS.
Since the first control work was
started in 1923, the report shows
that the first working for eradica-
ton of currant and gooseberry
$4,000 acres or a little less than
two-thirds of the total area Second
and third workings, which are some
times necessary to eliminate new
sprouts or bushes missed in the
first working have been completed
on 100000 acres.
During the summer of 1888 ar
army of 4,798 men was engaged in
the blister rust battle, but in view
of the wide front over which the
disease is spreading, this number OF
workers was not sufficient In.
cluded in the 1898 crews were CCC
workers, WPA workers. and others
paid from regular appropriations
During the year the area worked
by all agencies amounted to $4,000
acres, of which $1,000 acres received
coverage for the first time.
Although the white pine area rep.
resents huge area of rough ter
rain and the original outlay Of
money to finance an initial compre-
hensive program would be large
those in charge of control work be.
lieve that quick attack on al
fronts would be cheaper in the long
run and most effective. They say
sufficient crews can and should be
placed in the field to complete the
urgent work within the next two Oh
three years Thereafter the main.
tenance work would require a much
smaller program.
Experience has indicated that ade.
quate control work can be done tc
protect the pine at cost which j:
far less than the value of the pine
producing land, and foresters are
confident that if ample funds coulc
be Immediately provided to financ,
sufficiently large protection pro
gram, the disease could be thor
oughly subdued and the white pin
industry saved for future gener
ations.