80 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Trees in general were affected to an unusual extent by a series 

 of troubles. 



Burning of conifers, including our native white pine, and 

 various evergreens such as rhododendrons, arbor vita?s and 

 others was the worst experienced in years. The loss to nursery- 

 men and others from this cause was large, and it was very 

 difficult to meet the demand for nursery stock of this class. 

 Sun scorch was also common on the rock maple, and the young 

 growth was generally affected by winter killing. 



The chestnut disease, which has been with us now for 

 four or five years, is spreading in some localities, but it should 

 be borne in mi^d that every chestnut tree which appears sickly 

 or dying is not necessarily affected with the so-called *' blight." 

 There are, in fact, many sickly chestnut trees as well as others 

 Avhich are showing no indications of blight, a feature which 

 Dr. G. P. Clinton, of New Haven, has noted in Connecticut. 

 The chestnut disease is the worst at present in the Connecticut 

 valley so far as we can observe, and the question of preventive 

 measures seems wellnigh hopeless, although not less so than 

 the possibility of extermination in other ways. There is, how- 

 ever, some reason to believe that it will not prove as severe 

 as further south. 



Other trees, such as the elm, maple, some oaks and ashes, 

 are at present in bad condition throughout the State. The large 

 number of dying trees, particularly elms, which may be seen 

 here and there is surprising even to a casual observer. The 

 elm, to be sure, has many enemies-, such as the leopard moth 

 and elm-leaf beetle, but there are other causes responsible for 

 their present condition. It is questionable whether it is ad- 

 visable at the present time to plant elms as shade trees, and 

 a number of other varieties are doubtful, but after many years 

 of close observation on trees we have found one species which 

 has stood the effects of drought, winter killing and otlier 

 troubles better than all others, and that is the red oak. Prof. 

 C. S. Sargent of the Arnold Arboretum has recommended 

 this for many years as a shade tree, and although little used 

 there are a great many reasons why it should be used more 

 than it is. Under good conditions the red oak will grow as 



