when the
snow buries them, and those comparatively young trees have shown no
blight; but one hybrid, between the chinkapin and the American chestnut,
about twelve years of age, has blighted several times. I have cut off
the branches and kept it going, but this year I shall cut it down. It
will start at the root and sprout up again. I thought I'd give up that
hybrid, but having heard Col. Sober's report I will begin at the root
and look after some of the sprouts. That hybrid is the only one of my
chinkapin group that has blighted at all.

In regard to the use of bichloride of mercury or formaldehyde, it seems
to me that formaldehyde will be a better germicide than bichloride of
mercury, because bichloride of mercury coagulates the albuminous part of
the plasm and may destroy the cell structure, whereas the formaldehyde
will be more penetrating and less injurious. One would need to know how
strong a formaldehyde solution can be used safely. I presume the most
vulnerable part of the tree would be at the bud axils. Spraying must
require considerable experience at the present time and is of doubtful
efficiency for timber chestnuts I am sure. We would like very much to
hear any further comment upon this subject.

Prof. Smith: Mr. Sober's orchard is so unusually large that evidently it
does not apply to average cases. The average man is buying chestnut
trees for the garden or yard or lane. Prof. Collins has an acre on the
top of a hill at Atlantic Forge and there he has fought diligently with
the skill of a highly trained man, and the blight is gradually driving
him back. I think that in a short time the trees on Prof. Collins' acre
will be gone. I believe we need much more information before we can
offer any hope that chestnut trees from a nursery will be safe against
blight. I should like to ask the Blight Commission if they are at the
present time planning to breed immune strains of chestnuts, and if not,
I wish to suggest that it is a piece of work well worthy of their
consideration. They might try grafting on American stocks, or on their
own seedlings, some of the Korean chestnuts, on any variety that
promises resistance, and also hybridizing, with the hope of getting a
good nut that will resist the blight.

The Chairman: That is a very important matter, no doubt. In regard to
the few chestnuts bought for lanes and gardens, I know a good many men
who have bought a few grafted chestnuts with the idea of setting out a
nu