BOARD OF HORTICULTURE 133 



tlie tree, it is a short time, after all. If only the people of this State would realize 

 tlie opportunities of making money by the growing of walnuts, our hillsides 

 would be one continuons walnut grove. As sure as we are gathered here today, 

 the growing of walnuts will be one of the greatest assets that this State has. 



Nature provides everything needed for the growing of walnuts. All we have 

 to do is to take hold. If you plant when you ave young. you. yourself, will reap 

 the benefit and reward. If you are old, your children will. If you intend to 

 plant, put your whole heart and soul into this work and you will succeed. The 

 path is broken for you, and the mistakes you ean make are few, and in time you 

 will help to place on every table in this great Nation the matchless Oregon-grown 

 walnut. 



CHESTNUTS 



By Knight Pearcy 



The chestnut, at the present time, is of minor importance as a commercial 

 product in the Northwest. There are but very few commercial plantings and these 

 are small in extent. The behavior of the trees in these few small plantings, 

 together witli the Performances of the many trees planted all over this section 

 as shade and ornamental trees, have demonstrated that our climatic conditions 

 are suitable for chestnut culture. An analysis of conditions in the eastern 

 chestnut growing regions should be made before we decide whether we are war- 

 ranted in making considerable plantings here. 



Twenty years ago great chestnut forests were growing in the eastern part of 

 this country. Today these forests are disappearing, apparently to extinction, and 

 that quickly, too. In 1904 it was first noticed that many trees in the vicinity of 

 New York City were dying of some stränge disease. Investigation by pathologists 

 demonstrated that the disease was caused by a fungus, Endothia parasitica, by 

 name. 



It spread rapidly througli the native chestnut area, and by 1916. was found 

 in thirteen states and had caused damage estimated at $50.000,000 — half the total 

 valuation of American chestnut forests. At the rate that it is eating into the 

 forests the American chestnut will soon be wiped out of its native home. 



With most diseases of this nature there always appear some immune trees 

 in the forests or orchards, from whicli may be bred resistant strains of trees, but 

 no American sweet chestnut tree has yet been found that shows any degree of 

 resistance. 



It has been discovered that this fungus has its home in China. Japan and 

 Korea, and that it was evidently transported to America on imported nursery 

 stock. The fungus spreads by means of birds. insects, wind, rain and by shipment 

 of nursery stock, chestnuts and chestnut timber. on which tlie bark is permitted 

 to remain. It causes death by penetrating the bark and attacking the cambium 

 and sap wood areas. 



This disease is deadly, both to American and European varieties. It is spread- 

 ing rapidly, 99 per cent of the trees in Eastern Pennsylvania having already been 

 killed, according to reports. 



None of our American and European varieties is immune, although certain 

 nurseries have claimed tlie Paragon to be so. Tlie disease is practically uncon- 

 trolable. although where one has but a few trees he can keep it in check by cutting. 



An embargo is needed to protzet the uninfected Western districts. The disease 

 cannot be detected on nursery trees. We sliould not import chestnut trees of any 

 kind from any of the blight districts of the East. which means from any of the 

 native chestnut area. 



The Japanese and the Chinese chestnut species are attacked by this fungus, 

 but the injury seems to be comparatively light. since tliese species. in their age- 



