20 FORKST commissioners' REPORT. 



THE WHITE PINE BLIGHT IN MAINE. 



W. J. Morse, Plant Pathologist of the Maine Agricultural 



Experiment Station. 



Recently, particularly during the early part of the summer 

 just past, we have heard much discussion of the so-called 

 "blight" of the white pine. Articles have appeared in the public 

 and agricultural press which would lead one to believe that the 

 utter extinction of this species, which is pre-eminently the most 

 valuable of Maine's forest trees, was close at hand. The writer 

 does not wish to be unduly harsh in his criticisms of these arti- 

 cles, but, to say the least, it seems unfortunate that most of 

 them were allowed to appear. In no case had anyone studied 

 the subject carefully and thoroughly in the field, or at least not 

 enough so that a definite cause could be assigned or any method 

 suggested to prevent the spread of the trouble. If a guess was 

 hazarded as to the cause it was as varied as the number of 

 writers on the subject. Fungi, various insects, gases from sul- 

 phite mills, etc., are some of the causes put forward by various 

 individuals in articles, correspondence, or in conversation upon 

 the subject. 



As is always the case in matters of this kind, this agitation 

 was not entirely without beneficial results. People have been 

 led to observe the trees more closely and to take a greater inter- 

 est in their welfare. Many of the common insect troubles and 

 other diseases of the pine and other conifers, diseases which are 

 always with us and which yearly do more or less damage, have 

 been recognized and brought into prominence. However, the 

 net results have, it would seem, been detrimental to the interests 

 of Maine forestry at large. The time had come when certain 

 portions of the State were about to take up the question of 

 planting white pine as is being done in the neighboring states 

 of New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The white pine 

 blight scare has given this project a very serious blow for the 

 present. It has also resulted in numerous cases in the cutting 



