01 



Tlie very fact (lia( (lio tree is of iimcli .i^rcalc;!- value to its 

 owner than any tree in tlie forest could be, means tiiat luore 

 labor and more care, can and will be expended npon it, if it needs 

 it, tlian would be considered possible, from almost any economic 

 point of view, on either the orchard or the woodland tree. Con- 

 sequently some methods of cond)ating the disease may be profit- 

 ably^ applied to ornamental trees that would not for a moment be 

 considered in connection with a tree in the forest. 



At tlie very beginning of the experimental work undertaken 

 by the United States Department of Agriculture, this fact was 

 recognized, and lias since been kept in mind. Considerable of 

 the exjierimental work has had for its main object the solviiig of 

 the problem as to Avhether or not it will be possible to eradicate 

 or control the disease on individual trees. 



Notwithstanding the fact that much of tliis work has been 

 done in chestnut orchards, there are probably few orchard trees 

 that would be wortli the expense involved in an attempt to save 

 them; however, on account of their smaller size and greater ac- 

 cessibility, they would be more profitable for individual treat- 

 ment than the forest tree. Consequently these orchard trees be- 

 come, in most cases, nothing more or less than experimental 

 martyrs for the possible future benefit of their more aestheti- 

 cally valuable ornamental kin. 



It is yet much too early to make a very definite statement, cer- 

 tainly not a final report, upon the possibilities of being able to 

 control fully the Chestnut Bark Disease on ornamental trees 

 AN'ifhout recourse to the radical methods at present advocated 

 for controlling it in a woodland. Nevertheless, certain facts 

 have been repeatedly demonstrated in the course of the experi- 

 mental work which apparently point in a very encouraging man- 

 ner to tlie probable ultimate accomplishment of this higldy de- 

 sirable end tliough perhaps not on a very encouraging economic 

 basis, as such a basis is usually figured. 



I Avant to call your attention to some of these facts, as well as 

 to the bearing that they may have upon control work of tins 

 general character. But in order to make clear certain points T 

 must first refer very briefly to the general line of treatment 

 which is being followed in tlie experimental work mentioned. 



