362 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



ascertain the prevalence of the disease throughout the State. 

 In 1911, 6 of these special examinations were made for the 

 blight. This was increased to 28 in 1912, on 2,291 acres. 

 During the past year the examinations have been increased by 

 174 on approximately 8,000 acres of land. 



Educational Work. 



Since Mr. Pierce's connection with the work we have been 

 able to broaden out along several lines. The educational fea- 

 ture has been emphasized as being a very necessary part in the 

 problem of bringing before our people the methods of handling 

 chestnut woodlands affected by the bark disease. 



The State Grange field meetings were attended at Waban, 

 Billerica, Springfield, Greenwich Village, Berkshire Park, Col- 

 rain, Athol and Leominster. At each of these summer meet- 

 ings specimens of the chestnut blight fungus were exhibited, 

 and the manner of spread, the symptoms of the disease and its 

 importance were shown to all those who were interested. The 

 State Forester's bulletin on the "Chestnut Bark Disease" was 

 generally distributed at these meetings. 



Three of the largest fairs of the State representing the eastern, 

 middle and western sections were attended, namely, at Brock- 

 ton, Worcester and Great Barrington. At Brockton and 

 Worcester, through the courtesy of the extension department 

 of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, ample table and 

 wall space was secured for an excellent exhibit of logs from 

 blight-killed chestnut trees, also specimens of bark from thin 

 and thick barked trees, showing the characteristic appearance 

 of the blight canker or blister on the former and the reddish 

 brown pustules of the fungus in the cracks of the latter. Photo- 

 graphs, bulletins and charts were also displayed. Hundreds of 

 wood-lot owners stopped for advice and to ask questions regard- 

 ing the blight. Mr. Pierce gave a paper before the Massachu- 

 setts Tree Wardens' and Foresters' Association in Boston on 

 August 22. Addresses were also given before the granges or 

 local organizations at Montgomery, Blandford, Granville, 

 Palmer and Brimfield, and before two classes at the Framing- 

 ham Normal School. 



Numerous press notices have appeared in the papers regard- 



