00 



'I should say tbey wei*e,' said the owner of llie estate. 'My 

 husband said before he died that ]ie wouldn't tiike live hundred 

 dollars for that big ebestnut out in front there. I a\ ill willingiV 

 pay twenty dollars to have them saved.' 'AH right, i^et me get 

 my outfit.' 



He went to his buggy, brought back a paper bag of powder and 

 a whitewash brush, and borroAved a pail, some water and a step- 

 hulder. In an hour he had swabbed the trees from as high as he 

 could reach from the ladder down to the ground, pocketed the 

 pleased widow's twenty dollars, got into the buggy, said 'Gid- 

 dap" (() iiis horse, and \\as dowi) at the next door yard, swabbing 

 nioi-e trees and [xx-keting more dollars.'' 



It is true that many unscrupulous persons have been making 

 money in a manner similar to the one mentioned in this story. 

 It is true also that the ravages of the disease, and ('S[)ecially the 

 legislative appropriation to combat it in Pennsylvania, have sud- 

 denly brought to light numerous unsuspected iufallil)h' cures for 

 all Ihe ills (including the chestnut bark disease) to wliich trees 

 are or ever Avill become heir, if we should judge only from the 

 statements of the advertisers and inventors. 



Apropos of this, the Chestnut Tree IJHght Commission of 

 Pennsylvania might relate some of their experiences along this 

 line that would make more interesting reading than the al)ove, 

 though the incidents wei-e less profitable linaiicialh' lo the fakirs. 



The main point that I want to emphasize, however, is (hat the 

 valne of ornanmental trees cannot, like forest trees, be gauged by 

 the mere timber valne of the wood, nor, like tlie orchard tree, 

 merely by the value of the annual crop of nuts. The chestnut 

 tree undoubtedly attains its highest value as an ornamental tree. 

 Yon Axill all recall, 1 am sure, certain estates wliere one or more 

 chestnut trees are tlie main aesthetic or decoi-ative features. Per- 

 ha])s the tree may have been a veteran, famous in the c(nintry- 

 side, long befoi'e the ])resent owner ])nrchas(Ml the land and l)nilt 

 liis domicile. Oftentimes the valne of the ornamental ivi'i^ is 

 l;ii-g('Iy enhanced l)\- its location willi rd'ci-cnce to the house, and 

 even more largely, at times, by historic or ancestral traditions 

 with wliich it may have been, long since, associated. The valne 

 placed by the owner of the estate upon such tree may occasion- 

 ally be almost witliont limit. 



