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Show F ' Spread Through the Medium Me-dium of Currant and Gooseberry Bushes - Is the Destruction of Our White Pine a Part of the German Propaganda? By Russell T. Edwards, IN THESE DATS or the cry for "ships, ships, and still more ships" attention of the American public should bo directed to the rJilto blister rust, which Is destroying destroy-ing thousands of whlto plno trees throughout the country, and threatens destruction to tho entiro growth of this; tho most valuable asset of our forests. ! Like tho chestnut blight, tho whlto ilno blister dlseaso is a nativo of foreign lands and was Introduced here- on nursery stock. Tho original Borne of this disease Is northern Europe. Eu-rope. While a few Importations of the rust wero mado from Holland, France and Great Britain, one nursery in Germany may be said to bo responsible re-sponsible for tho present wldo spread of tho dlseaso In the Eastern United States. If the introduction of this destructive destruc-tive disease Into tho United States and Canada was deliberately plotted by tho Germans, as somo people believe, they choso tho most effective agent that could be found to destroy tho usefulness of tho American forests of tho future. For nearly three centuries cen-turies whlto plno was tho leading commercial treo of America, and tho prc-eminenco of white plno In tho lumber Industry Is recorded In the history nnd statistics of tho trade. Other woods in recent years havo surpassed sur-passed whlto pine In output and usefulness use-fulness for special purposes, but as a profitable tree crop'no other American treo offers tho splendid possibilities of whlto pine. In Southern Now England Eng-land tho planting of whilo plno has assumed largo proportions becauso its rapid growth and high stumpago values , makes It tho most profitable crop which could bo grown on thousands thou-sands of acres of cut over land and worn out pastures. ' "Whlto plno also is highly resistant to the attacks of tho gypsy moth and has been largely planted in certain localities to tako tho place of the hardwoods of which the Insect feeds. Not An Insect Tho whlto plno blister dlseaso is not an insect, but a plant parasite, which grows insido of the "bark and sap wood of whlto plno and other five-leaved pines, gradually girdling tho branch or trunk, causing death above tho part affected. A period of incubation, varying from ono to six or seven years, takes place after tho pines are affected. Tho bark eventually eventu-ally becomes swollen and discolored, and in tho spring (lato April to early June), tho sacs or "blisters," from which tho disease takes its namo appears ap-pears on tho surface. Tho sac is a whlto membrano; it is about tho size of a grain of corn and contains thousands thou-sands of orango colorod, dust-like seeds. After a few days tho covering of tho "blister" breaks and tho spores aro broadcasted by tho wind. Many States InTcctcd. An extensive search for the blister rust has been carried on In Western i Now York, Pennsylvania, tho , lako ' States, and in tho Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast States. As a result. Infection In-fection has been found In small quantities quan-tities but widely scattered throughout Southern and Western New York. In tho St Croix Valley in Minnesota and Wisconsin, not only havo diseased currants and goosoberrles been found over an area approximately 70 miles long and 10 miles wldo, but diseased pines havo been found as far north as Pino City. In Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Iowa, tho only disease found has been In plantations mado from stock purchased from nurseries. Howovcr, It Is encouraging to learn that tho disease has not been found west of the great plains, so for tho present at least tho sugar plno and western whlto pine aro not In danger. Tho lumbermen aro to bo congratulated congrat-ulated on tho timely action of tho Federal Horticultural Board In placing plac-ing a quarantine on tho movement of nursery stock of whlto plno and currants cur-rants and gooseberries from tho Eastern East-ern United States, west of a lino drawn along tho western boundary of Min nesota, southward to the Gulf. This greatly lessens tho possibility of introducing in-troducing this dangerous dlseaso into tho splendid plno forests of tho coast Chestnut Blight Tho history of tho blister rust Invasion Inva-sion should bo our final warning. Chestnut blight was brought to this country from China and Japan, and has caused millions of dollars loss. Tho loss from this disease In tho Stalo of Pennsylvania alono, up to tho present pres-ent time, is placed by tho stato forestry fores-try officials at $9,000,000 to $10,000,-000. $10,000,-000. Other pests with appetites that cost tho United Stales moro than $500,000,000 annually, such as tho gypsy moth, brown tall moth, San Jose scale, tho cotton boll weevil, otc, aro Immigrants from abroad which might easily havo been kept out of tho country coun-try had tho proper precautions been taken. This is a tax of $5 on each porson In this country, or 525 for a family of five a considerable Item In tho cost of living. Tho United States Is tho only country coun-try In tho world which permits a rather froo Importation of nursery stock from other countries. Wo havo depended in tho past upon Inspection and tho result has been a failure, becauso be-causo no Inspector can find every ono of tho posts which are carried on tho plants. A slnglo shipment of plants from Brazil brought several hundred different kinds of Insects with it Most of tho insects wero new and their possibilities pos-sibilities of destruction were unknown. At tho present tlmo thero arc moro than threo thousand insects, and approximately ap-proximately as many fungus diseases which hayo their homos In foreign lands and may provo highly dangor-0U3 dangor-0U3 if Introduced hero. It Is a fact that it is Impossible to estimate how serious tho ravages of an lrriportcd pest may bo until it Is so firmly established estab-lished hero that thero is no hopo of Its eradication. The Forest Regiment In war ridden Europo they aro allvo to the value of scientific forestry and tho loss that bids fair to reach a billion dollars In this country from dlseaso will go far over that figure In Europo from war losses. With this In view tho largest regiment In tho world, tho Twentieth Engineers (Forest) will command tho attention and respect of Allies and enemy alike. This regiment has already sent a part of its forces to tho French war zone. When the entiro organization is In service, which will bo In tho near future, tho roster will show approximately approxi-mately 17,000 officers and men, or ten times as many as the ordinary' regi ment In tho Twontleth there will bo ten battalions of forcstors, woodsmen and lumbermen, with a strength of 7,500 enlisted men. In additions thero will bo nine service battalions composed of 7,250 enlisted men to work as laborers in connection with tho activities of tho regiment Colonel W. A. Mitchell, U. S. A. is in command. Ho is a West Point graduate of first honors and is a nativo of Georgia. This regiment Is tho second to bo organized In tho United States for aorvico in tho forests of France. Tho 10th Engineers (Forest), went across the ocean last summor. In tho two regiments thero will bo a total strength of 9,200 American foresters and woodsmen in service in tho war zone. The work of theso organlza- tlons Is under the general supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Henry S. Graves, United States Forester, who Is designated director of forestry with tho American Expeditionary forces, Major William B. Greeley, Assistant United States Forester, Is deputy director. di-rector. Tho work of theso men will bo to utilize tho materials of tho French forests in supplying timbers for tho building of trenches and tho many other forms of construction necessary to modern warfare. Complete logging and sawmill equipment Is provided for them and the regiments will afloTd the Allied forces a source of supply for" their timber needs of overy char-actor. char-actor. In addition tho trained forcstors forcst-ors will work with an eyo to tho luturc of tho forests, selecting thoso trees which may bo harvested with tho least damage. Relief Needed. Importance of making relief provision provi-sion for tho men and their families is emphasized by R. H. Downman, Lumber Director of the Committco on Raw Materials for tho Council of National Na-tional Defense. "Tho men who composo the Forest Regiments aro making a big personal sacrifice In following tho flag into tho Fronch forests," said Mr. Downman. "A largo majority of these men arc abovo tho draft age, but thoy have answered their country's call. With tho unprecedented domand for lumber lum-ber at homo thero is work at high wages for all tho men who aro skilled in any branch of forestry lumbering and sawmill operations. Thousands of men who could stay at homo at wax-time wages havo answered. These men will build the things needed to mako your boys comfortable. "Their work Is as important as that of tho soldier in the trenches and tho purpose of tho Lumber and Forests Relief Committee is to provide comforts com-forts -for these men and perhaps their families If necessary. It Is Important that this fund havo prompt and cordial cor-dial support of all lumber men and all timber Interests. 1 hopo this will take tho form of generous contributions sent at once to tho headquarters of tho American Forestry Association In tho Maryland Building here." Tho fund was organized by men widely known In forestry and lumber fields. Tho committco Is: Charles Lathrop Pack, president American Forestry Association; Albert F. Potter and William L. Hall, U. S. Forest Service; W. P. Brown, Berlin Mlljs Co., Berlin. Now Hampshire: P. S. Ridsdalc, editor Amorlcan Forestry tl Magazine, and Mr. Downman. ilH J. W. Tourney, director of Yale Unl- '1 vorslty School of Forestry, points to IH the great Importance of forestry work jJ and tho lesson of denuded France as a sign post to this country. He views jH the situation this way: jH "Tho war is bleeding Europo drs jH of tho forest growth of a century. iH England, whose chief dependence for iH wood for two centuries has been from 'H beyond tho seas, is destined to be stripped as baro as China beforo the end of hostilities. Sho now sees her Bl great mistake in tho neglect of hez absolute forest lands and tho great ll economic advantage In tlme3 of war jH when lumber-laden ships aro swept ll from tho sea. In having adequate re il serves of lumber. Many decades must '1 pass after the dawn of peace before lll Great Britain can rc-establlsh produc- ' tlvo stands of timber. She has learned ll her lesson, and her moagro and scat- 'll tored forests and neglected absolute 'H forest land of tho past will I believe, glvo way to a glorious renaissance i and a development of well-managed 1 'vH forests beyond even tho dream of tho Jll post '! jlH Lesson Of Denuded France. rll "Tho well managed forests of ill France in thoso parts of tho country ijl devastated by tho nations of middle 'jl Europe aro being depleted with start- llWI ling rapidity. Tho French, however, ''jil with the assistance of tho American . Foresters, arc felling tho forests with ,11 an eyo to tho future and the securing '91 of reproduction so that when tho 'IH pcaco comes the reconstruction will ilH bring back the production of tho ab- soluto forest lands to their normal ca- paclty. Tho forest capital of all Eu- jfl rope, will, however, be enormously cut 'fll Into when fighting ceases and the not 11 over abundant forest resources of the rest of tho world will be required to Wk rebuild Europe. 11 "Tho lessons of the great war that 1H so clearly shows tho necessity of 11 forests for tho cxlstonco of national H llfo should be taken to heart By tho H people of America. Our slogan should be, 'Mako tho land produce.' This jIH slogan should ring from every school H house, from every board of trade 'nfl from every organization from Malno iH to California, that is striving for the H betterment of tho nation." Ifl |