ENDOTHIA PARASITICA AND RELATED SPECIES. 55 
A brief description of the identification of other specimens of 
EZ. parasitica from Agassiz is given by Faull and Graham (29). 
These writers report that in the material sent them in the summer 
of 1913 there were no perithecia, but that the pycospores were typical 
E, parasitica and the characteristic mycelial fans were present in 
the bark. Cultures of the fungus proved it to be identical with 
E. parasitica. They also state (p. 203) that the chestnuts grown 
at Agassiz “are of oriental, European, and American origin. The 
stock was purchased from nursery firms located in New Jersey, 
Ohio, and California. One of these at least ‘was a heavy importer 
of oriental trees and shrubs’.” They suggest that it “is significant 
that a connection with the Orient exists.” 
In support of this view, the statement of Mr. Sharpe, who had 
charge of planting the nut orchard at Agassiz, may be given. Dr. 
Weir visited Mr. Sharpe at Salmon Arm, B. C., and Mr. Sharpe 
stated definitely to him that he would be willing to furnish affidavit 
to the effect that in the main or entirely the chestnut trees in the 
nut orchard were originally imported from the Orient; in fact, a 
part of the trees, according to Mr. Sharpe, undoubtedly came from 
Japan or China and were shipped to Agassiz in the original wrap- 
pings, which consisted of the peculiar mats and casings of those 
countries. 
In a letter accompanying the specimens from British Columbia 
Giissow states that “these trees may be regarded as absolutely iso- 
lated. There is no other chestnut tree anywhere round it for 500 
miles and more.” It seems highly probable therefore that 2’. para- 
sitica was carried to this locality on nursery stock, perhaps as sug- 
gested by Faull and Graham and by Weir by importation from the 
Orient. 
The following spring (1913) Mr. Frank N. Meyer, agricultural 
explorer, discovered this fungus in Chibli Province, China, under 
such conditions as could leave no doubt that it is indigenous there. 
The account of this discovery and its corroboration in this country 
was published by Fairchild (27), and also by the writers (76). 
As outlined by Fairchild (27), Meyer first found the diseased 
chestnuts near Santunying, a smail town 1} days journey by cart from 
a railroad, northeast of Peking in Chihli Province, between Tsunhua- 
tcho and Yehol. 
A small specimen of diseased chestnut bark from this region was 
inclosed in a letter from Mr. Meyer which was received by Mr. Fair- 
child on June 28, 1918. From this specimen, which showed only 
pycnospores, cultures were obtained, which proved it to be ee E. 
parasitica. On July 23 more Chinese specimens were received from 
the same locality, as well as from Scha Ho in the same Province. 
These included a large canker on a chestnut branch about 6 cm. in 
