CHESTNUT BARK DISEASE. 9 



some little time. Rains are very effective in washing spores to 

 various parts of the tree below the infected portion. 



PROGRESS OF DISEASE. 



While we have not much definite data at hand to show just 

 how fast the disease progresses after attacking a large tree, we 

 have found by inoculating small seedlings and sprouts that 

 these may be entirely girdled in one season, and from general 

 observations on marked trees at Stamford and Middlebury it 

 takes at least two years to kill the tree and probably three or 

 four. Of course how long it takes the blight to kill a tree 



FIG. III. SPROUT WITH DEAD BARK AROUND INOCULATION POINT. 



depends on where the tree is attacked. If it is attacked on the 

 small branches these will be killed but the rest of the tree will 

 remain healthy and in a growing condition for a considerable 

 time. On the other hand if the infection is on the main trunk 

 this will be girdled and the entire tree killed in a much shorter 

 time. Certain weather conditions also apparently affect the rate 

 of development of the fungus. 



DISTRIBUTION IN CONNECTICUT. 



At the present time the chestnut blight is distributed entirely 

 over Connecticut. The accompanying maps show its spread from 

 1908 to 1912 and also show approximately the varying degrees 

 of damage done in various parts of the state. The trouble 

 is more serious in the southwestern part of the state and west of 

 the Connecticut River. This is probably due to the fact that 

 there is more chestnut in the western half. It was reported 



