CHESTNUT BLIGHT 13 
ground usually deteriorate more rapidly than those that remain 
standing. Their centers are frequently destroyed within a few 
years by insects in combination with decay. The time required for 
blight-killed trees to fall is dependent upon a number of factors, 
among which are soil type, local weather conditions, relief, ex- 
posure, and prevalence of root decay. Observations on a number of 
belted or girdled areas in the Sono Appalachians indicate that 
less than 5 per cent of the trees blow over during the first 10 years 
after death. From 20 to 40 per cent of those dead between 10 and 
20 years and from 60 to 100 per cent of those dead for more than 
20 years blow over. These estimates were made on girdled stands, 
as blight-killed areas of sufficient age were not available in the 
South. It is possible that under natural conditions windfall would 
be much less, since the dead chestnut would receive protection from 
the surrounding trees of other species. 
Where a considerable part of the stand is chestnut, fire conditions 
become increasingly critical with the accumulation of bark, dead 
sprouts, and fallen branches at the bases of dead trees. Fires not 
only destroy part of the dead standing chestnut but also, on account 
of the intensity with which the accumulated dead material burns, 
frequently destroy other species in the stand. Adequate fire pro- 
tection in the southern Appalachians would assist in the effort to 
utilize the chestnut growth and would materially prolong the life 
of the chestnut-extract industry. 
Serious checking usually does not occur so long as the bark per- 
sists: Reference to Figure 10 shows that on the average approxi- 
mately 65 per cent of the bark still remains by the sixth year after 
death. Checking is most rapid during the first two years after the 
bark has fallen. During this period several checks over 5 feet in 
length and 1 inch deep develop at fairly regular intervals around 
the trunk. The increase in size and number of damaging checks is 
-very slow thereafter. 
In addition, dead wood is liable to become brittle with long years 
of seasoning on the stump. It may also suffer from attacks of tim- 
ber worms, resulting in lumber of lower grade. Occasionally stains 
are found in the wood of dead trees. 
UTILIZATION OF BLIGHT-KILLED CHESTNUT 
The problem of utilizing the chestnut timber from the 33,000,000 
acres of the southern Appalachians, where the species represents 25 
per cent of the stand, is one phase of the chestnut-blight problem 
which the United States Forest Service and State and extension 
forestry departments are endeavoring to solve. 
Chestnut lends itself to the most varied usage of any timber species 
growing in the southern Appalachians. It is already used for ex- 
tract wood, lumber, poles, ties, mine props, piles, fence posts, cord- 
wood, and pulpwood, and. it offers the possibility of increased use. 
Sawed chestnut lumber is much in demand, but increased cutting, 
because of the spread of the blight, tends to glut the market. The 
wood is light and easily worked. It can be used for many purposes 
where its coarse grain and lack of extreme strength do not make it 
undesirable. Its increased use for sheathing, framing, interior work, 
and most of all for the manufacture of boxes, packing cases, and 
crates. would da much to conserve other timber supplies. 
