171 



tion, where possible, of the diseased chestnut trees, I am not pre- 

 pared to say. I doubt whether it will be possible to go any far- 

 ther than that, but it seems to me, outside of this area of general 

 infection, if we can establish a sort of quarantine zone beyond 

 which we can protect the rest of the chestnut trees in the State, 

 that the work will be well worth while, and that is the line along 

 which we are proceeding at the present time. Now as to the 

 question of management, I think that simply by cutting out dis- 

 eased trees and by a coppice management of the chestnut, I 

 do not see how that is going to eliminate the disease, because we 

 know definitely that the stumps are more apt to be diseased, and 

 this infects the sprouts as soon as they come up. I have seen 

 that time and time again over the State of Maryland, that those 

 sprouts become immediately diseased, and the whole tree dies 

 very quickly. What has been done has furnished the basis of 

 the proposed work, and I hope that we will be able to evolve from 

 this Conference some definite programme, which other States can 

 adopt with some hope of ultimately controlling the chestnut 

 bark disease. I realize that it is a very big proposition, and we 

 are not going to do it all at once ; but I think by concerted action 

 and a definite policy, we will certainly .be able to limit the de- 

 struction by this disease, which has already done such an im- 

 mense amount of damage in the northern States. (Applause). 



THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any questions? 



ME. BEAUNBEEG, of Pennsylvania: Are those approxi- 

 mate figures you gave of the damage already occurring in the 

 S(;ite of Maryland to the chestnut trees? You made an approxi- 

 mate estimate of the damage to the chestnut trees, also an ap- 

 proximate estimate of the value of the chestnut trees. May I 

 have those figures? 



ME. BESLEY: The present damage was estimated at fifty 

 thousand dollars, based on a stumpage basis, and the total stump- 

 age value of the chestnut in Maryland is about two million dol- 

 lars. 



THE CHAIEMAN : Mr. Detwiler will comment on one point 

 raised by Mr. Besley. 



