59 



a'REATMP^NT OF OiK^HAKD AND ORNAMENTAL TREES. 



P.Y PlfOFESSOU J. FItANKLIN COLLINS, U. S. DEl"T OF AOIIICIJLTIJJMO, 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Mr. Cliairman, Ladies and Gentlemen : For the pnrpose of call- 

 ing yonr attention to one or two points that I Avant to en)pbasize 

 as a preliminary to my main topic, I will quote the opening para- 

 graphs of a story published in the fall of 1010 in a well known 

 popular magazine. The particular incident may or may not 

 have been true, it doesn't matter, still, all who have liad mncli 

 to do with the chestnut bark disease will recognize the incident 

 as a fairly typical one, with perhaps a slightly ditferent setting. 



The programme of experimentation thus outlined seems for- 

 midable, but this work must be thorough if any results of value 

 are to be obtained. It can be said that nearly all of these experi- 

 ments point to the possibility of curing infected chestnut trees. 

 Perhaps by the end of another year the Pennsylvania Commis- 

 sion lal)oratory will be able to report, if less of a forward looking 

 programme, at least more of actual and valuable results. (Ap- 

 plause). 



"A tall, lean man, with a grizzled beard and the air of wisdom 

 that goes with such adornment, strode across the lawn of an old 

 fashioned Connecticut country seat, and gallantly lifting his 

 dingy Panama hat to the mistress of the manse, said in impres- 

 sive tones: 



'Madam, I have just been looking at your chestnut trees. They 

 are all covered Avith scale, and are dying. I can save them, if 

 you wisli to have it done.' 



'Can you?' said the credulous woman, hK)king uj) to the dead 

 top of a noble tree. 'I have noticed that tliere was something 

 Ihe matter with them. TTovv much will it cost?' 



'Let's see,' mused the tree-doctor. 'Eleven trees, two dollars 

 apiece. Well, I'll make it twenty dollars for the lot. They're 

 worth more than that to you, ain't they?' 



