130 



June, 1!)11, for llie purpose of thoroughly iiivestigatiiiL:; llic 

 chest iiul Idight, to devise and apply ways and means throngh 

 which it might, if possible, be stam])ed out. 



lu 1909, according to the report of the State Auditor (leneral, 

 there were T,(>;i3,180 acres of forest land in Pennsylvania, of 

 ^^hi(•h it is estimated that -1 per cent., or ai>proximat('ly one- 

 lifth, is chestnut tind)er. Allowing two poles, four ties, and 

 two cords of wood per acre, and allowing |2.00 per poll', 33 cents 

 ju'r tie, fl.OO per cord for Avood, the total value of the chestnut 

 timber in l*ennsylvania would be 155,000, 000, in round nundiers. 

 If we allow $15,00tl,000 as the total value of the nut crop, and 

 (/rchai'd, park, and shade trees, the total value becomes |70,000,- 

 000. Tiiis does not consider the value of chestnut forests as 

 }»rotection for water-sheds. J>y dividing the counties in the 

 eastern half of the State into zones, as shown on the map. on 

 I lie same basis as (he above eslimale is made, tlie value of the 

 chcslnut trees already killed or affected by blight in Pennsyl- 

 vania is cstimateil at .flt),000,000. Of this amount |7,00(l,000 

 is the value (d" poles, ties, ami other \\(»od prcMlncts, and •'j{5.'5,00(K 

 000 is estimated as (lie value of orchard, pai-k, and shade trees, 

 the loss to nnrscrymen, and (o i-eal estate owners. It is believed 

 tha( 18,000,000 is a low estimate for tiie value of (liese trees, since 

 (he loss to real es(ate owners and to owners of shade and orchard 

 trees has been parlictdarly severe in the southeaster]) corner <d" 

 the State where the chestnut tree is of great importance in this 

 respect. 



No i-eliable estima(e of (lie animal income frtnn (he sale of 

 chestnut |)roduc(s in Pennsylvania can be gixcn. The s(a(istics 

 of (he Pores( Service, for the year HIOO, show that for the Pnited 

 S(a(es, (he value of (he annual cut in that year A\as approxi- 

 ma(ely .*l'0,000,000. Of (his ainonn(, about one-half was (he 

 valiH' of lumlter, la(h, ami shingles, (he othei- half represenling 

 (he valiu' of poles, ties, and extract wood. 



The Pennsylvania riiestnut Tree lilight Coimnission began 

 its investigations in August, 1911. The general plan adopted 

 by the Tommission is that recommended by Dr. ^fetcalf in his 

 recent bulletin on the control of the chestnut bark disease. In 

 brief, this consists in first determining the exact range of the 



