283 



contains 37 per cent, of lime in the ashes of the bark, and there 

 seems to be a general law in natnre that tannin bearing trees 

 mnst have lime in greater (inantities than other trees. 



The first few analyses of the soils where blighted chestnnt 

 is growing will put the Forestry Departments of the states 

 represented at the convention in position to know in a few 

 weeks whether this snpposition of a lack of lime in the soils in 

 blighted tree areas is borne ont by facts. If it is fonnd to be 

 so, then the costly and irritating job of forcing relnctant owners 

 of blighted chestnnt trees into cntting them down at their own 

 expense will have been avoided, and a policy of preservation 

 adopted in its place. The latter policy will be mnch easier to 

 pnt in foi'ce, as it will have the hearty co-operation of the pnblic, 

 in the generons etforts of the states to assist owners of blighted 

 trees to save them. If the Forestry Departments can be pnt 

 in possession of a proper remedy for the blight by this single 

 convention, it Avill emphasize the valne of snch conventions, 

 jind demonstate the Avisdom of the legislators of this State, 

 who so far-sightedly made the convention possible by their 

 approi)riation. 



FIELD AVORK OF THE (^HESTNUT TREE BLIGHT COM- 

 MISSION. 



By THOMAS E. FRANCIS, FIELD SUPERVISOR. 



Dnring the six months the field force has been at Axork, the 

 field agents have been trained ;iiid organized, and (he general 

 line of western advance determined. Owners of infected wood- 

 lots, and the i)nblic generally have been wnrncd of the existence 

 of the disease. 



The general phin which has been followed is to place one 

 man in charge of the work in a connty, nnder the direction of 

 the field snpervisor. The man in charge of the county usually 

 has an assistant, and the two work ont from the same head- 

 ([uarters but cover different territory. AMien one comnninity 

 has been carefully scouted for the blight, the men move to an 

 adjoining district, and in this way cover the county. In the 

 meanwhile, timber owners are interviewed and the subject is 



