129 
by the applications of science. Ten per cent. of their value— 
thirty million dollars a year—says Professor Cattell, might to 
advantage be spent in that city for the future advancement of 
sceince under the auspices of the University of Pittsburgh. At 
first thought, this proposition seems as startling to the “imprac- 
tical” scientist as it does to the “hard-headed” business man. 
But why should this not be done? 
In a letter from the secretary of the board of water supply of 
New York City, I am informed that the land owned by New 
York City about the Ashokan reservoir covers a total of 15,254 
acres, Six thousand of these acres are forested with so-called 
second growth of white oak, rock oak, red maple, sugar maple, 
hemlock, and white pine. The letter contains this significant 
sentence: “The chestnut growth is being removed on account of 
mortality from pests.” There have been planted by the city on 
this watershed over 1,470,000 coniferous trees, more than 1,000,- 
000 of which include six species of pine. The present value of 
these pine trees may be conservatively estimated at not less than 
$1,000,000 dollars, and the value increases from year to year— 
likewise their importance to the city’s water supply. It is now 
common knowledge that some of these species of pine are being 
attacked by a fatal disease, the blister rust, recently imported 
into this country from Europe. Damage to the extent of hun- 
dreds of millions of dollars is known to be caused every year 
in this country by imported plant and tree pests. Whose con- 
cern should it be to take every possible measure to learn the 
nature of the pine tree blister rust which threatens property of 
New York City to the extent of several millions of dollars? 
Would it not be a perfectly reasonable business proposition to ex- 
pend annually 10 per cent. of the value of the trees on the 
Ashokan watershed in order to ascertain effective means for the 
control or eradication of a tree disease which may necessitate a 
replanting of the entire area? 
Several million dollars worth of potatoes are consumed in 
greater New York every year; who should be more interested 
than the residents of this city in supporting botanical research 
that has for its object the eradication of potato diseases in Maine, 
whence a large percentage of our supply is derived? 
