Conference for Preventing the Spread of the 

 Chestnut Tree Bark Disease. 



OPENING SESSION 

 Tuesday, February 20, 1912, 2 o'clock, P. M. 



CALL TO ORDEK AND ADDRESS OF WELCOME TO DEL- 

 EGATES AND VISITING FRIENDS, BY THE HON. 

 JOHN K. TENER, GOVERNOR OF 

 PENNSYLVANIA. 



GOVERNOR TENER: Gentlemen, the meeting- will please 

 be in order. 



Let me say at the ontset, speaking for this Commonwealth and 

 less for myself personally, that we are gratified indeed at the 

 splendid representation here to-day, bearing testimony to the 

 great interest manifested in the work at hand. 



I know that many of you have come from afar, many of you at 

 great inconvenience and certainly at expense to yourselves or to 

 the State or Association that you represent, in order that you 

 might meet with us here, in the Capital City of Pennsylvania, 

 to discuss and to consider seriously the objects and the pur- 

 poses of this meeting. 



It is not my purpose to enter into an extended discourse upon 

 the subject of the chestnut tree blight or bark disease, but 

 rather to extend just a word of welcome to you, on behalf of 

 our Commonwealth and onr city, and also to suggest what might 

 be proper for your consideration at this time; to go over briefly 

 the extent of this disease in the area it now covers; what it 

 means to us if it spreads farther, and w'hat it has meant to us; 

 the value of our chestnut trees, and a suggestion of w-hat I hope 



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