210 



W. V. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 137 



thousand as stumpage value, we have a total valuation of $15,- 

 000,000. These figures do not mean a great deal as there are 

 many things to be considered aside from the simple lumber 

 value of the chestnut. 



Our West Virginia forests deserve far more attention than, 

 they have thus far received, and it is hoped that the publica- 

 tion of this Bulletin will help to bring about some definite 

 action both in regard to the Chestnut Bark Disease and gen- 

 eral forestry work in this State. 



FIG. 1. A fine old tree, but dying from the bark disease. 



HISTORY. 



Attention was first called to this disease by Dr. H. W. 

 Merkle, of the New York Botanical Gardens. During the 

 summer of 1904-5 he noticed -that a few of the chestnut trees 

 in the parks appeared to be dying in a peculiar manner, and 

 ,he brought the matter to the attention of Dr. W. A. Murrill, 

 the Mycologist. In a paper on the subject given in the 1905 



