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Commoiiwealtli of \'ii-.uiiiia. As \\as suggested by the (jloveriior 

 iu his remarks, a great deal of the wealtli of the Commonwealth 

 of Virginia is in our chestnut timber interests. AVithin the last 

 decade her chestnut timber has been the source of a great deal of 

 income to Virginia, and of a great deal of wealth. Its more re- 

 cent use, for tannic acid, has brouglit into great value the waste 

 places of the State, and timber heretofore regarded as not very 

 valuable has become one of the most valuable assets of the Com- 

 monwealth. Naturally, wo are very much interested in anything 

 that goes toward the preservation of this valuable timber, and at 

 this time we are especially grateful for the invitation to be here, 

 because our Ceneral Ass('iiil)ly is now in session, and l»ills have 

 already been introduced looking toward appropriations to com- 

 bat this disease; and we are particularly anxious to get all the in- 

 formation we can here, in order that we may go back and give our 

 legislators the necessary facts. T have no doubt provisions an ill 

 be made by the Commonw^ealth to fight the ravages of this dis- 

 ease. 



THE CHAIRMAN: West Virginia. 



DR. N. J. GIDDINGS: Mr. Chairman and Ladies and 

 Gentlemen: I can assure you that the j)eople who are most in- 

 terested in West Virginia aj)preciate the opportunity which this 

 Commonwealth has offered for meeting here and considering 

 matters in regard to the chestnut bark disease. The chestnut in 

 West Virginia is a very important tree. Just recently I learned 

 of shipments from one station amounting to one hundred and 

 fifty-five thousand pounds of cliestnuts, — the wihl nuts,— during 

 last fall, and there may be other shipments that run as high, 

 or higher. 



The annual cut of chestnut in West Virginia for the last two 

 years has been about one hundred and eighteen million feet, and 

 has neither increased or decreased; but the disease is present in 

 the State. To w'hat extent, we do not know\ We are in hopes 

 to have at least one or two men in the field this spring to learn 

 more in regard to the conditions in the State, and w^e hope to be 

 in a position, after getting tlie details whicli w^e may from this 

 Conference, to go back and undertake the work in a much better 

 manner than we otherwise could. 



