CHESTNUT BLIGHT 3 
of this scattered growth has been killed in eastern Virginia; that a 
large percentage of it is infected in North Carolina, Kentucky, and 
Tennessee; and that a few scattered infections are present in Ala- 
bama and Georgia. Extensive inspection work would undoubtedly 
result in the finding of widespread infection in this scattered growth. 
The blight has been reported on wild and planted chestnuts at a 
number of points in Indiana and Michigan. A large percentage of 
the chestnut growth in Ohio is infected or killed, the severity of 
infection being less in the southwestern than in the eastern part 
of the State. 
Nearly all of the original chestnut trees have been killed in the 
Middle Atlantic and New England States. In the northern parts 
of New York and 
the New England 
States the blight has 
also killed many of 
the isolated trees at 
the extreme edge of 
the distribution area 
of the species. It has 
also been reported at 
a number of places 
in Ontario, Canada. 
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A De 
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SYMPTOMS OF THE ¥ 
DISEASE 
The symptoms of 
blight are so charac- 
teristic that owners 
of chestnut should 
LEAVITETEO PERCENTAGES OF INFECTED 
AWO GEAO CHESTWOT TREES BY COUNTIES 
have no difficulty in 
recognizing the dis- 
ease. The yellow or 
brown leaves of a 
dead branch, stand- 
ing out in striking 
contrast to the green 
foliage, are usually 
Ml) ve-79 +ec7T20 
8 60-99 WFECTEO (1-50 FAD) 
100 (NFECTEO (51-100 PEALD 
1 
Figure 1.—-Estimated distribution of blight in the more 
important chestnut counties of the southern Appalach- 
jans in December, 1929. Each year the degrees of infec- 
tion and killing increase 
the first-noticed indications of the presence of the chestnut blight. If 
the branch is killed in early spring, the dead leaves are smaller than 
normal ones (fig. 2), while if it is killed later in the season the leaves 
usually attain their full size. 
The dead leaves and burs of killed 
branches, which usually remain attached during the winter, afford a 
means of detecting blight infections at that time of year. 
Dead limbs 
without leaves or burs often indicate the presence of the blight. 
Occasionally dead branches with attached leaves result from causes 
other than the ae but when the blight fungus, which is described 
5) 
in detail on page 
is responsible, a close examination of the stem or 
branch will reveal the presence of a canker located on the branch or the 
trunk, usually somewhat below the lowest killed leaves. 
The sprouts 
or suckers that frequently develop below cankers aid in locating 
them. (Fig. 3.) 
