ENDOTHIA PARASITICA AND BELATED SPECIES. 55 



A brief description of the identification of other specimens of 

 E. parasitica from Agassiz is given by Faull and Graham (29). 

 These writers report that in the material sent them in the summer 

 of 1913 there were no perithecia, but that the pycospores were typical 

 E. parasitica and the characteristic mycelial fans were present in 

 the bark. Cultures of the fungus proved it to be identical with 

 E. parasitica. They also state (p. 203) that the chestnuts grown 

 at Agassiz " are of oriental, European, and American origin. The 

 stock was purchased from nursery firms located in New Jersey, 

 Ohio, and California. One of these at least ' was a heavy importer 

 of oriental trees and shrubs '." They suggest that it " is significant 

 that a connection with the Orient exists." 



In support of this view, the statement of Mr. Sharpe, who had 

 charge of planting the nut orchard at Agassiz, may be given. Dr. 

 Weir visited Mr. Sharpe at Salmon Arm, B. C., and Mr. Sharpe 

 stated definitely to him that he would be willing to furnish affidavit 

 to the effect that in the main or entirely the chestnut trees in the 

 nut orchard were originally imported from the Orient; in fact, a 

 part of the trees, according to Mr. Sharpe, undoubtedly came from 

 Japan or China and were shipped to Agassiz in the original wrap- 

 pings, which consisted of the peculiar mats and casings of those 

 countries. 



In a letter accompanying the specimens from British Columbia 

 Giissow states that " these trees may be regarded as absolutely iso- 

 lated. There is no other chestnut tree anywhere round it for 500 

 miles and more." It seems highly probable therefore that E. para- 

 sitica was carried to this locality on nursery stock, perhaps as sug- 

 gested by Faull and Graham and by Weir by importation from the 

 Orient. 



The following spring (1913) Mr. Frank N. Meyer, agricultural 

 explorer, discovered this fungus in Chihli Province, China, under 

 such conditions as could leave no doubt that it is indigenous there. 

 The account of this discovery and its corroboration in this country 

 was published by Fairchild (27), and also by the writers (76). 



As outlined by Fairchild (27), Meyer first found the diseased 

 chestnuts near Santunying, a small town 1J days journey by cart from 

 a railroad, northeast of Peking in Chihli Province, between Tsunhua- 

 tcho and Yehol. 



A small specimen of diseased chestnut bark from this region was 

 inclosed in a letter from Mr. Meyer which was received by Mr. Fair- 

 child on June 28, 1913. From this specimen, which showed only 

 pycnospores. cultures were obtained, which proved it to be true E. 

 parasitica. On July 23 more Chinese specimens were received from 

 the same locality, as well as from Scha Ho in the same Province. 

 These included a large canker on a chestnut branch about 6 cm. in 



