283 



contains 37 i>er cent, of lime in tiic ashes of the bark, and there 

 seems to be a general law lii nature that tannin bearing trees 

 nuist have lime in greater (juantities than other trees. 



The first few analyses of the soils where blighted ehestnnt 

 is growing will put the Forestry Departments of the states 

 represented at the convention in position to know in a few 

 weeks whether this sni)position of a lack of lime in the soils in 

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

 so, then tlie costly and irritating job of forcing reluctant owners 

 of blighted chestnnt trees into cutting them down at their own 

 expense will have been avoided, and a" jjolicy of preservation 

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

 put in force, as it A\ill have the liearly co-operation of the f)ul)lic, 

 in the generous ett'orts of the states to assist owners of l)lighted 

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

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

 convention, it will emphasize the value of such conventions, 

 and demonstate the wisdom of the legislators of this State, 

 who so far-sightedly made the convention possible by their 

 appropriation. 



FIELD AVORK OF THE CHESTNUT TREE BLIGHT COM- 

 MISSION. 



By THOMAS E. FRANCIS, FIELD SUPERVISOR. 



During the six months the field force has been at work, the 

 field agents have been trained and organized, and the general 

 line of western advance determined. Owners of infected wood- 

 lots, and the piddic generally have been warned of the existence 

 of the disease. 



The general plan which has been followed is to place one 

 man in charge of the Avork in a county, under the direction of 

 the field supervisor. Tlie man in charge of the county usually 

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

 quarters but cover different territory. AA'hen one community 

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

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

 meanwliile, timber owners are interviewed and the subject is 



