Metcalf: The Chestnut Bark Disease 



13 



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FINAL STAGE OF THE DISEASE. 



The entire tree finally succumbs, often within two or three years after the first infection. 

 The wood is not materially injured for timber purposes, but great care must be used in 

 disposing of it, that the spores are not carried into new regions and set free on trees 

 which have not previously been attacked. (Figure. 5 ) 



followed by a struggle between the fungus 

 and the sprouts from the roots of the 

 killed trees. In this struggle the marvel- 

 ous regenerative power of the chestnut 

 may enable it finally to overcome its 

 subtle antagonist, but so far little hope 

 of this can be held out from observation. 

 Hundreds of chestnut trees have been 

 under the writer's close observation 

 since 1907, and although some have 

 produced a new crop of sprouts each 

 year since that time, the sprouts have 

 rarely passed their second year without 

 becoming diseased, or their third year 

 without being girdled. North of the 

 Potomac River the main problem now 

 is how to dispose most profitably of the 

 timber of the dead and dying trees. In 

 Southern New England the proposition 

 has alread}^ been made on distinguished 

 authority, to replace the disappearing 



chestnut stand as rapidly as possible 

 with white pine. 



As has been indicated, diseased 

 chestnut nursery stock has been the 

 most important factor in the spread 

 of the bark disease. On account of the 

 well-grounded fear of this disease much 

 less chestnut nursery stock is being 

 moved now than fonnerly, but there is 

 still enough to constitute a serious 

 source of danger. It is therefore obvi- 

 ous that every State in which the chest- 

 nut grows, either naturally or under 

 cultivation, should as speedily as pos- 

 sible pass a law putting the chestnut 

 bark disease on the same footing as 

 other pernicious diseases and insect 

 pests, such as peach yellows and the 

 San Jose scale, against which quaran- 

 tine measures are now taken. Many 

 inspectors already have the legal power 



