Part I.] STATE NURSERY INSPECTOR. 67 



were found and destroyed. In cases where it was certain that 

 other bushes close to these in the rows were diseased, though 

 not showing it at that time, these too were usually destroyed. 

 More of this should have been done, but it was thought best to 

 err, if at all, on the conservative side. 



Though, owing to the delay in beginning the work, pines 

 were not examined to the extent Ribes were, some new infec- 

 tions were found, making a total of 30 more towns where dis- 

 eased pines are now known, though in the majority of these 

 cases only a tree or two were diseased. In Bridgewater, Pem- 

 broke, Charlemont, Rowe and Sandisfield, however, the condi- 

 tions are rather serious. 



On the whole, we may consider the situation in Massachu- 

 setts as very serious. Diseased Ribes have been found in 224 

 towns this year, and diseased pines in 72 towns either last year, 

 this year or in both years. 



At the annual conference of the blister rust managers of the 

 various States and Canada, held November 12 to 13, 1917, the 

 conditions and possibilities of the work under existing condi- 

 tions were discussed. The question was raised whether the 

 value of the pines is sufRciently great to justify total eradica- 

 tion of Ribes. On this point the general opinion of those pres- 

 ent appeared to be that it was, except in areas where there is 

 little pine growth, and commercial currant growing is prose- 

 cuted on a large scale. It was also conceded that if for any 

 reason the work should be stopped at this time it could be taken 

 up again later, and after the complete, continued elimination of 

 Ribes in any region, pine growing could be resumed there. 



Under present war conditions in Massachusetts, the necessity 

 for keeping a large force on the work, and the expense of this, 

 it is the opinion of the writer that it would probably be unwise 

 at the present time to attempt anj'thing like State-wide control 

 of the disease, and that the best policy to pursue is to select the 

 most valuable pine-growing a;reas in the State, make them erad- 

 ication areas, and remove all Ribes, wild and cultivated, in and 

 around these areas for a distance of at least one mile from the 

 outside of the areas themselves. This should be done, if at all, 

 for at least a five-year period, as only in this way can complete 

 eradication of the Ribes be secured. 



