ROOT DISEASE IN SCOTS PINE ON FARM LANDS. I43 



21. Root Disease in Scots Pine on Farm Lands. 



( With Two Plates.) 

 By Bert. Ribbentrop, CLE 



Does any direct connection exist between root disease in Scots 

 pine and the condition of the soil on farm lands ? This is the 

 question which has been propounded by Professor Dr Albert. 

 Prior to his investigation, the ravages of Polyporus annosus had 

 assumed disastrous dimensions, and seemed to be in process of 

 increasing, both in virulence and extent, in all parts of the 

 Continent. In northern Germany especially the ever-increasing 

 destruction of afforested lands constituted a grave calamity, for 

 since the middle of last century very extensive areas of farm 

 lands had been afforested — chiefly with conifers — in the pious 

 but unrealised hope that inferior fields would become at once 

 productive forest. How can Scots pine forests, grown on old fields, 

 be saved from total destruction by Polyporus annosus — became the 

 question put on all sides, by private owners and at forest con- 

 ferences. It was only in 1902, however, that Professor Albert 

 was officially entrusted with the solution of the problem. That 

 he was the right man for the work no one who follows the 

 logical sequence of his scientific work, and the guarded nature 

 of his deductions, will be disposed to deny. We sincerely hope 

 to hear more of his valuable researches, especially in regard to 

 the afforestation of heather lands. 



When Dr Albert started on his work, it was the general belief 

 that the attacks of Polyporus annosus were the prime cause of 

 root disease in pines : that a virulent and frequently fatal disease 

 existed prior to fungoid infection was not known, although a 

 predisposition to fungoid infection on farm lands was generally 

 believed in. All sorts of speculative explanations were given of 

 this predisposition, such as the presence of animal matter in the 

 soil, etc. 



The history of Scots pine on old farm land is always the same 

 — a particularly rapid development of the young crop takes 

 place in the early stages ; after some years the growth in height 

 ceases somewhat abruptly, and this is followed by the death of 

 single trees here and there. From these centres the disease 

 spreads in ever-widening circles, which only change their form 

 when they meet. The first deaths occur between the ages of 

 8 to 10 years, and trees of upwards of 60 years old are safe. 



