BULLETIN OF THE ye 
5.) USDEVARTNENT OPAGRICULTIRE © ies? 
No. 89 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chiel. 
May 22, 1914. 
(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 
THE DEATH OF CHESTNUTS AND OAKS DUE TO 
ARMILLARIA MELLEA. 
By W. H. Lona, 
Forest Pathologist, O fice of Investigations in Forest Pathology. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Some time ago complaint was made to the Office of Investigations 
in Forest Pathology that the chestnut trees on certain areas near New 
Berlin, in Chenango County, N. Y., were rapidly deteriorating; that 
some were dead, others dying, and the remainder in poor health. Since 
this region is not in the known range of the chestnut bark disease 
(Endothia parasitica), the dying of the chestnut could not be attrib- 
uted to this fungus, and the writer was therefore detailed to make an 
investigation of the trouble. 
CHARACTER OF THE TIMBER EXAMINED. 
Two areas of woodland of about 20 acres each were examined. 
The timber consisted of a mixed stand of chestnut, oak, and white 
pine, with a sprinkling of poplar, maple, and hemlock. All of the 
timber above a diameter of 6 inches, or even less, was being cut. | 
Much of it had only recently been felled, while some was still uncut. 
The oak and chestnut were being made into railroad ties and the pine 
into lumber. Both tracts of timber were located on the level tops 
and slopes of rather rough ridges. The average age of the chestnut 
and oak was from 60 to 100 years. One of the areas had been partially 
logged over 20 years ago; the other had never been logged. There 
have been no forest fires in either tract, so far as known. As the 
two areas were close to each other and similarly located, they will 
be treated as a whole in this discussion. 
CHARACTER OF DATA OBTAINED. 
In addition to the felled trees of chestnut and oak, dead, dying, 
and badly diseased standing trees were studied. No attempt was 
made, on account of limited time, to examine the roots of any number 
Note.—A record of the results of field investigations of the condition of chestnut and oak in Chenango 
County, N. Y. 
34907°—14——_1 
