2 BULLETIN 116, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



information concerning their origin could be obtained, but it is 

 believed that they were imported when 3 or 4 years old, that the 

 disease came with them, and that they have been serving ever since 

 as a center of infection each season for the Ribes in that vicinity. 

 During the season of 1913 the disease appeared on but few Ribes 

 bushes near the two trees above mentioned. The pines of the vicinity 

 are to be held in quarantine and inspected each spring. In spite of the 

 recent pessimistic opinion of those most directly concerned in the mat- 

 ter, 1 there is every reason to believe that the disease will soon be eradi- 

 cated at this point, now that the center of infection is finally located. 

 The conclusion that " complete eradication of the disease is no longer 

 possible" is apparently meant to apply to the entire country and is 

 based on the fact that blister rust was established at Geneva and the 

 supposition that it was established in other places in New York, Mas- 

 sachusetts, and Connecticut. Now that the disease is well in hand in 

 the Geneva area (the most dangerous one known at that time in the 

 entire country 2 ) , there seems to be no sufficient reason for giving up the 

 fight against as dangerous a disease as this promises to become if 

 unchecked. This is especially true in view of earlier statements as 

 to the seriousness of this disease. 3 



NEW OUTBREAKS. 



Early in July the writer received specimens of white pine affected 

 with blister rust from a point in northern Vermont which had not 

 been previously known as harboring the disease. Inquiry showed 

 that it was present upon native trees in that vicinity, this being the 

 first known instance in this country. A visit was immediately made 

 to determine the facts in the case, and the disease was found in the 

 ornamental plantings of a large private estate. The original source 

 of infection is unknown. It is quite possible that a few imported 

 white-pine trees were obtained years ago, although it is definitely 

 known that most of the trees in the vicinity are native and grew in 

 the near-by woods. At any rate, the disease has been in some of the 

 trees about 10 years, judging from the location of the cankers and 

 their general appearance. Of the total number of white-pine trees 

 in that vicinity, about 150 in all, more than 50 were found to be 

 visibly affected by the disease. How many may later develop blister 

 rust is, of course, unknown, but probably 5 or 10 per cent will do so. 

 Already about 33| per cent have it, which should be sufficient to con- 

 vince the occasional skeptic that this will be a serious disease 4 if 

 allowed to run its course in this country. 



1 Stewart, F. C, and Rankin, W. H. Cronartium ribicola and the proscription of Ribes nigrum. (Ab* 

 stract.) In Phytopathology, v. 3, no. 1, p. 73. 1913. 



a Stewart, F. C, loc. cit. 



« Stewart, F. C, loc. cit.; Jordan, W. H., loc. cit., 1912. 



* Clinton, G. P. Notes on plant diseases of Connecticut. In Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta. Rpt., 1909-10, p. 733. 

 1911. 



