FABMEKS' BULLETIN 742. 



killed. Of course the loss of a few side branches is a small matter to 

 an old tree unless it is an ornamental, but if the disease is present 

 in abundance in proximity to such a tree for a number of years, 

 that tree is likely to have every one of its lateral branches, as well 

 as the top central shoot, attacked and finally killed. In this way 

 the disease may kill the largest tree, and such instances are known 

 in certain localities in Europe where this disease is very prevalent. 

 The great damage, then, that the white-pine blister rust is likely 

 to do at first is to young reproduction or to young plantations of 

 white pines. But after it has became well established in any locality 

 there can be no doubt that older and larger trees may be seriously 

 crippled if not killed by it. In Europe, where this disease has 

 been known for 60 years, it has attacked the stone pine, the 

 Himalayan white pine, the Roumelian white pine, the eastern white 

 pine, the sugar pine, the western white pine, and the limber pine. 

 These are all 5-needle pines. Many of the so-called hard pines, 

 having leaves in twos and threes, have been exposed to infection in 

 Europe, but have never taken the disease. This shows that only the 

 5-needle pines will take it. There are 12 American 5-needle pines and 

 9 foreign ones. (See footnote, p. 3.) Any of these species may take 

 this disease. The foreign species are of importance, as they may be 

 cultivated in this country for ornamental purposes. 



DANGER IN THE EASTERN STATES. 



In the Eastern States the danger threatened by this disease is 

 most important with respect to the eastern white pine. It is esti- 

 mated that the valuation of the present stand of mature eastern 

 white pine is approximately $186,000,000. This pine is of great 

 importance, aside from the value of the present mature stand, be- 

 cause it is used in fully nine-tenths of the reforestation work in the 

 Northeastern States. Moreover, within the area worst affected by the 

 gipsy moth, the forests are being converted into white pine as rapidly 

 as possible, because this species is by far the most valuable one which 

 is not seriously injured by this insect. More than this, the white 

 pine, in many sections at least, is much the most valuable tree now 

 available for future forests. Its loss would be a real catastrophe, 

 for no other tree can take its place. 



The crisis with this disease is already upon the Northeastern States. 

 Most serious and extensive outbreaks are known to have occurred in 

 1915. If not promptly stopped from spreading farther, there will be 

 no hope of coping with it unless public opinion becomes very ear- 

 nestly aroused in the near future. Complete authority must be given 

 the State officials to compel unanimous action throughout the infected 

 areas, or this disease will surely escape and become a permanent 

 menace to the entire white-pine stand of the northeastern section of 



