management programs by towns and 

 municipalities. 



Elm Disease Major Threat 



1 he one tree trouble that has 

 overshadowed all others in the State 

 since 1941 is the Dutch elm disease. 

 Caused by a fungus and spread from 

 tree to tree chiefly by tiny elm bark 

 beetles, this scourge attacks the 

 American elm with nearly always 

 fatal results. Other elm species may 

 be affected too, but the primary 

 threat is to the American elm — 

 the traditional street tree of New 

 England since earliest colonial days. 

 In twelve years the disease has 

 spread to at least 286 cities and 

 towns in twelve counties of the 

 State, with a total of 17,776 cases 

 confirmed as of January 1953. The 

 only method of diagnosing Dutch 

 elm disease involves growing the 

 disease fungus from the wood of a 

 sick tree onto a sterile, nutrient 

 medium where the organism may 

 be identified by observing its growth 

 characteristics. Wood samples for 



testing are sent in by local tree and 

 park departments, conservation of- 

 ficers, arborists, public works depart- 

 ments, and private tree owners. 



Along with the testing service, 

 the Laboratories place timely in- 

 formation before the public through 

 news releases, radio talks, circulars, 

 scientific articles, and talks at group 

 meetings. The success of such a 

 program depends on the cooperation 

 of tree wardens, moth superinten- 

 dents, and arborists' associations. 

 These sustained efforts to combat 

 the elm scourge are paying off as 

 more and more cities and towns 

 utilize all available knowledge to 

 lessen the toll of the disease on their 

 prized elms. 



Present plans of the Shade Tree 

 Laboratories envisage not only a 

 continued attack on Dutch elm dis- 

 ease but also a broadened program 

 of research on the nature and con- 

 trol of other important shade tree 

 pests and the improvement of shade 

 tree management practices in 

 general. 



The ever-increasing work of the Shade Tree Laboratories is evidence of the many demands 

 of the public for research and services in arboriculture. 



