344 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



through Europe, and was brought to this country on 

 imported nursery stock. Of course, now there is a strict 

 quarantine against practically all imported plants, includ- 

 ing all foreign Ribes and five-needled pines. Before it 

 was realized it had hopelessly invaded the New England 

 States and had gained a foothold in the Great Lakes 

 region. Before we could check it, it spread West through 

 Minnesota and even into the eastern part of North 

 Dakota. But we stopped it there, and are now holding il 



TYPICAL FATAL INFECTION 



Side branch of native white pine, 15 years old, 7 feet tall, V/ 2 inches diame- 

 ter at base. Side branch became infected from long infection on main stem 

 which had girdled and killed main stem above. Branch 10 years old. 



in check by strict precautions- Of course, it may have 

 already invaded this country out here before we took the 

 work in hand. If so, I do not know what can be done ; 

 you can see for yourself how impossible it would be to 

 destroy all the currants and gooseberries in many parts 

 of this country. I'm afraid if we find any of the Blister 

 Rust out here the great Western white pine and sugar 

 pines of California will suffer severely." 



"See how thickly these things grow," he remarked, 

 indicating a gooseberry bush not two feet away. Casuallv 

 he snipped off a branch and glanced at the under side of 

 the leaves. His eyes fastened themselves on the object 

 in his hand. 



"By God !" he exclaimed, "I believe this is it !" 



He sprang up and began searching about. "Here's 

 more of it !" he cried from a little distance. "Yes, and 

 here's still more. There's quite a lot of it around here." 



"Well," I asked when he returned, "does that mean that 

 the pines of the West are threatened?" 



"There is one hope. It may be the Pinon Pine Rust, 

 which is harmless to white pines and in appearance is 

 very similar to the true White Pine Blister Rust during 

 the stage in which it is growing on the Ribes." 



"Why not be optimistic then?" I advised. 



"Because of the possibilities. Look about you. There 

 are only sugar pines here. I do not believe there is a 

 Pinon pine in 50 miles." 



"I will have to go further with this thing than I had 

 planned," he said presently. "When we get back to Camp 

 Yosemite I will get in touch with a few of the men who 

 are working with me and organize a camping tour to 

 inspect all this country. Do you want to stick with us?" 



I looked at my thorn-filled hands and thought of the 

 small luncheon we had had. "I'll think it over," I replied. 



But that night, at Tenaya Lodge, after I had ordered 

 and eaten two complete dinners and was lying deliciously 



SIDE BRANCH INFECTION 



Small side branch of 15-year-old white pine at Kittery Point, Maine; 14 

 feet tall, 4 inches diameter at base. Fruiting on 4-year-old internode. 



stretched out on my bed, I looked long out of the window. 

 The pines drew solemn shadows in the silver of the moon. 

 Their hushed, green fragrance lay upon the susurrous 

 breeze. Their voice was in the room ; and I felt their 

 strength and knew the huge and quiet joy of their 

 existence. All the beautiful night, from the leaves decay- 

 ing on the ground to the breath of the sky, carressed and 

 sustained these ancient, peaceful lives. They stood in 

 serene and magnificent oblivion of their impending 

 disaster. But / knew their danger, and knew that I 

 could not go back to the city while the question of 



