86 REPORT OF THE FOREST COMMISSION. 



The same author in Farmers' Bulletin No. 453 of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, says further : 



"In addition to the great monetary loss, the brown-tail moth exercises a 

 very deleterious effect on health. The hairs which cover the caterpillars of 

 this moth are strongly nettling, and not only are they so from accidental 

 contact with a caterpillar, but also from the myriads of hairs which are shed 

 by these caterpillars when they transform to the chrysalis state. The latter 

 frequently cause very disagreeable and extensive nettling, the effects of 

 which may last for months. Breathed into the lungs they may cause inflamma- 

 tion and become productive of tuberculosis. The brown-tail rash is well 

 known throughout the regions infested in New England and thousands have 

 suffered from it." 



'Neither of these insects (see p. 88) has been established in 

 New Jersey, but the danger makes the State's duty very clear, 

 namely, to prevent absolutely the introduction into the State of 

 all dangerous pests, and provide for the immediate extermina- 

 tion of any that may by accident be located here. 



To satisfy the public with respect to the more common and 

 serious tree pests the following specific references are made : 



CHESTNUT BLIGHT. 



No ray of hope that this disease will be checked before 

 practically every chestnut tree in the State is dead can be held 

 out. New Jersey is especially unfortunate in having had to 

 take the brunt of the attack, and the whole of our territory, with 

 the exception of Salem and Cape May counties, is infected. The 

 disease is now progressing north and east in New York, Con- 

 necticut and Massachusetts, westward through New York and 

 Pennsylvania, and southward through Maryland and Virginia. 

 In the States where the situation is not so hopeless as with us 

 active measures are under way to check the progress of the 

 disease. With what success the future only can tell. For the 

 information of those who are interested, and to offset the un- 

 warranted and misleading statements that are frequently pub- 

 lished, it may be said that the chestnut blight is not due to the 

 attack of any insect but is caused by a fungus disease whose life 

 history has been well worked out. There is no mystery about 

 it. The disease works in the inner bark, out of sight for the 



