March, 1912.] THE CHESTNUT BARK DISEASE. 



211 



report of the Zoological Society Merkel says, "It has spread 

 to such an extent that today it is no exaggeration to say that 

 98 per cent of all the chestnut trees in the parks of this bor- 

 ough are infected. The spread of this disease is so sudden 

 that unless some radical measures are taken or a natural 

 enemy of this fungus deve 1 ops, it is safe to predict that not a 

 live specimen of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata} 

 w?ill be found two years hence in the neighborhood of the ZOO- 



FIG. 2. A beautiful grove a few years ago, but all chestnut dead now. 



logical Park". Valiant efforts were made to save trees which 

 "were not yet diseased by spraying them thoroughly with Bor- 

 deaux mixture, while many which were only slightly diseased 

 were pruned and repruned, but all of their endeavors availed 

 nothing, and today those great parks are destitute of the 

 chestnut trees. 



During the years 1905-6 Dr. Murrill studied the disease in 

 laboratory, greenhouse and park. As a result of his studies 

 he found it to be new and undescribed, tho a fungus similar 



