134 



the year can peel six stumps lU to 15 inches in diameter in an 

 hour. That is a conservative tigure. 



It is the policy of the Commission to use every possible means 

 of securing the co-operation of owners in cutting infected tim- 

 ber, before resorting to their power under the law. The power 

 that the law gives the Commission is sufficient to insure respect 

 for its powers, but we realize that the law alone is not sufficient 

 to malce the plan of controlling this disease effective unless it 

 is backed by strong public sentiment in its favor. This is being 

 accomplished by educating the i)ublic to recognize the symptonis 

 of the disease and to realize its serious character throngli lec- 

 tures, lield meetings, circulars, newspaper articles, and otlier 

 Avork of an educational nature, such as interesting school chil- 

 dren and boy scouts in the movement. So far, no serious oppo- 

 sition has been met with in the work of eradication; on the con- 

 trary, we have had excex)tional co-operation from all classes 

 of timber owners. 



The Commission maintains a laboratory for determining 

 doubtful infections, and for conducting experiments in the con- 

 trol of the disease through the use of sprays, fertilizers, and medi- 

 cations. The Commission is giving an impartial trial to the many 

 remedies submitted, to determine their effectiveness. These ex- 

 periments are being pushed forward as rapidly as may be done, 

 but no remedy will be endorsed by the Commission until its 

 efficiency has been demonstrated beyond all doubt. Most of those 

 submitting remedies for the blight have in mind the size of our 

 appropriation rather than the practicability and efficiency of 

 their remedies to the public. 



The Commission keenly realizes its responsibility to the pub- 

 lic for the proper expenditure of the funds placed at its disposal. 

 Yesterday's proceedings of the conference emphasized the great 

 need for comprehensive scientific investigation into all phases 

 of the blight problem. It is only by finding out all the facts 

 relative to the disease that we can hope to eradicate it, and it 

 is evident that many scientific facts of practical importance are 

 still unknoAvn. For instance, it has not yet been definitely deter- 

 mined what agents are of primary importance in distributing the 

 spores, or to what extent the disease may bv'^ spread by the 



