DISEASES OF THE CHESTNUT AND OTHER TREES 93 



lent to destroying millions of spores next summer. The work of a 

 small bark-mining insect may oftentimes be mistaken for the first 

 development of the bark disease. If this or any other signs are 

 confusing I would advise you to do as I did and send them in at once 

 to some one familiar with the disease. Prof. Rane, the State 

 Forester, has his office at 6 Beacon Street and Mr. Rich can be 

 reached here at Horticultural Hall. If the trouble is so located that 

 it is not possible to cut it off and send it in I would certainly take 

 advantage of Prof. Rane's offer to send some one to make an exami- 

 nation. 



The third and last step is to cut out all signs of the disease, root 

 and branch. If the infection occurs on the main stem no matter 

 whether the tree is large or small, open around the base with a 

 grub and cut it out below ground and send it to the fire at once. 

 If the infection is local on a side branch and has not reached the 

 main trunk it will be sufficient to remove this branch taking care 

 not to handle the diseased part. 



If for several reasons the tree is a very valuable one and you do 

 not want to cut it out it may be possible to save it where the 

 infections are few and small even though they appear on the main 

 stem if Dr. Metcalf's directions are followed carefully. We have 

 not had any such cases yet but we are willing to give the treatment 

 a trial should such a case arise. 



The treatment recommended by Dr. Metcalf is simply this. 

 Remove the canker by cutting around it, always doing the cutting 

 in the healthy green bark two inches from the margin of the canker 

 which is shown by the line of discoloration. Make the cut one 

 inch deep into the wood for although this is a bark disease it may 

 extend into the wood somewhat. Leave no chips about the tree 

 and paint the wound carefully with tar. Inspect the cuts fre- 

 quently during the spring to make sure that all the disease has been 



removed. 



In general I may add that the only preventive treatment we 

 can depend on at present to combat the chestnut bark disease is 

 cleanliness. Insist on proper sanitary conditions in all the opera- 

 tions about your chestnut grove. Have your trees gone over and 

 pruned carefully by men whom you can depend upon. When I 

 say men whom you can depend upon I mean exactly what I say. 

 It will pay you to take time to find such men. 



