No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE FORESTER. 365 



the only treatment possible to check the disease is the prompt 

 removal of the infected trees. This is specially advised where 

 the diseased trees are large enough to produce valuable prod- 

 ucts, as poles, ties, posts and cordwood. 



The removal of all near-by sources of infection will render the 

 timber less liable to be infected in the future, since the blight 

 seems to spread faster from local centers to near-by trees than 

 to trees at a distance. 



Better forest practice is needed in combating this disease. 

 The general practice has been to clean-cut the chestnut and 

 oak stands in southern New England without intermediate 

 thinnings. This has often been wasteful. The trees which 

 make up the dominant growth in forty or fifty year old stands 

 have had to fight for light, food and moisture at the expense 

 of the weaker trees. Proper thinnings would tend to reduce 

 the fierce competition, give an intermediate yield, as well as 

 cut down the time at which the trees would reach a merchant- 

 able size. The experiments of European foresters have shown 

 that the rotation of the timber crop can "be shortened by judi- 

 cious thinnings from 10 to 20 per cent. 



Since it seems that the smaller chestnut trees in Massachu- 

 setts are liable to be infected by the chestnut bark fungus to 

 a greater extent than larger trees, it may be concluded that 

 the faster the small trees can be made to grow, the quicker 

 will they become more resistant to the disease. The rate of 

 diameter growth may be very materially increased by proper 

 thinnings. 



As heretofore, this department stands ready to advise any 

 owners of chestnut growth, as to its present and future manage- 

 ment, at no expense. It is more satisfactory to both parties 

 where the owner goes over the woodlands personally with the 

 expert. For examinations, make application to this oSice. 



Report of the State Fire Warden. 

 Mr. F. W. Rane, State Forester. 



Sir: — In compliance with your request, and in accord with the pro- 

 visions of chapter 722, section 2, Acts of 1911, I beg to submit the follow- 

 ing report of the work accomplished by this branch of the department 

 this year: — 



The same division of the State has been continued again this year as 

 follows: District No. 1, Essex, Middlesex and Norfolk counties; District 



