211 



Owners of woodlands in these states should cut and use all Jarge 

 infected trees at once. Since the fungus affects the bark only, 

 the wood is perfectly sound unless allowed to stand and be sub- 

 jected to other agencies causing decay. Small trees with body 

 infections will soon die, so they might as well be cut at the same 

 time. Healthy young trees with only a few diseased twigs 

 might be treated by pruning a foot or more below the discolored 

 area and covering the wounds with coal-tar. Care should be 

 taken not to make new infections with the hands or pruning im- 

 plements while the work is being done. 



Fortunately, the disease does not spread to other forest trees : 

 nor has it been found on any other species of chestnut, either in 

 this country or in Europe. 



In Torreya of this month the fungus is described in detail, 

 with figures showing its microscopic characters, as a new species 

 under Diaporthe, a large genus of the pyrenomycetes. 



W. A. Murrill. 



OBSERVATIONS IN ECONOMIC BOTANY MADE 



AT OSCODA, MICHIGAN. 

 During a stay of several days at Oscoda, Michigan, in the 

 latter part of August, I was most impressed by the disastrous 

 effects of the destruction of the great forests which once covered 

 the surrounding region. These forests consisted of white pine 

 (Pinus Strobus) ; red pine {P. resinosa), there called Norway 



"sap Norway," its wood almost all alburnum and of little value, 

 and "cork Norway," with very little sap-wood, and highly 

 esteemed ; and jack-pine (P. divaricatd), a pitch pine of little 

 value. With these were associated more or less hardwood tim- 

 ber, chiefly white and black oak, sugar maple and birch, and, in 

 the low grounds, other coniferous trees, chiefly spruce, tamarack 

 and white cedar. 



In the cutting of these forests, the usual American custom of 

 indiscriminate and total destruction was followed. The removal 



