262 FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 



to believe they were effected with the German Pine Rust. Dr. Spaulding 

 was at that time at Saranac Inn and he immediately took up the problem 

 with pathologists in different parts of the country who confirmed our 

 identifications. We found that it had also developed in some three- 

 year old transplants in the Lake Clear Nursery. This is an explanation 

 of the discovery of the disease. Dr. Spaulding was there and Dr. 

 Metcalf soon came and they made investigations in other States. 



Dr. Haven Metcalf, Pathologist, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture. — Perhaps in this matter I better say a word 

 or two in regard to the disease itself and its nature. 



The disease is a rust and up to the present time has been known exclu- 

 sively in Europe. It lives a part of its life on one host and part of its life 

 on another. This particular rust living part of its life on the white pine 

 and the other part on various kinds of currants. It is an interesting fact 

 that this disease has already appeared in this countrv and on this con- 

 tinent. One stage was discovered in 1906 by Prof. Stewart, of the Geneva 

 Experiment Station, in this State and he promptly eradicated the disease 

 and it has apparently been eradicated ever since. But it was never before 

 found here on white pine. The disease in Europe is serious. I do not 

 think that the seriousness can be overestimated. It is not so much as to 

 what it may do in Europe as it is to the possibilities of what it might do 

 here generally. We know that in the introduction of diseases of human kind 

 they show that on coming to a new country a new lease of life, and in addition 

 to the increased vigor that might come to this parasite on the white pine, 

 there is another species of pine that it might come in contact with in the 

 west, and we do not know what it would do then. Pathologists for a number 

 of years have been on the lookout for this disease. Now, as has already 

 been said, it has been imported — it is here on German transplants. We 

 know positively at the present time that it is in New York, Vermont, Con- 

 necticut and Massachusetts, and we do not know where else, that is yet to 

 be determined. So from that mere fact of distribution it is a serious 

 question, which is really one of national importance, affecting not 

 only the States where the disease may already be at present, but 

 affecting all the States where white pine is grown. The disease I do not 



