FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 261 



white pine and imported into this country, had appeared in our shipment 

 of trees from a nursery in Germany, and he brought me some of the speci- 

 mens that he found in the Lake Clear Nursery. I was informed by him 

 and Dr. Spaulding, who represented the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

 that it might be serious indeed, not only to us in the State of New York 

 but in the adjoining States in the eastern part of the United States. I 

 realized that unless the situation, to some extent, at least, was promptly 

 handled, serious results might follow. 



We have been to great trouble and some expense in getting the public 

 sentiment aroused along the line of having our people plant trees in the 

 State of New York, other States have done the same; and if this matter 

 was not handled diplomatically and promptly I could see how, in this State 

 we might be .set back in this work many years, which would be very 

 injurious to us further than the mere effect of the' disease of the trees. 



I am delighted to see that, so many of you are here. I know nothing 

 or little about it myself, from a technical or scientific standpoint, as I am 

 not a scientific man; but calling you here by the few facts stated in my 

 letter, and without saying anything further about it, I will ask Mr. Pettis 

 to make a brief statement about it and then we will ask Dr. Metcalf to 

 talk to us about the matter, and I hope that each person here will give us 

 his idea upon any phase of it, as to how we shall treat it, how to eradicate 

 it, as to the further importation of trees of this character, the relation of the 

 State to the National Government, and how we can work in harmony. 

 Perhaps we ought to discuss as well the question of the tariff upon trees, it 

 appearing that Mr. Paine, in the House, believed there should be a tariff 

 and has put it back in his bill which was carried. All of these things we 

 may want to discuss. 



Mr. C. R. Pettis. — About all I can say is simply to state how we dis- 

 covered the disease. This spring we imported about 250,000 three-year 

 old white pine transplants and about 800,000 two-year old white pine 

 seedlings. None of the seedlings showed any signs of infection but a few 

 of the transplants had already developed it. It was first found in the field 

 by one of the men and he did not know what it was. I got into com- 

 munication with him and secured some of the diseased trees which led me 



