may
be consulted in the leading libraries throughout the state.

An appropriation for $80,000 was given by the last Congress for
scientific research work upon the blight disease and work is being
carried out in cooperation with the various states. Several of the
Government investigators are now at work upon our force. Some of the
most important unsolved scientific problems of the blight, as given by
Secretary Wilson, in his message, to Congress, are as follows:--

First, the relation of the disease to climate.

Second, the relation of the parasite to the varying tannin content of
the tree.

Third, the origin of the disease.

Fourth, relation of birds and insects to the dissemination of the
disease.

Fifth, the nature and degree of resistance of the Asiatic species.
Another problem in relation to tree treatment may be added, that is, the
relation of spores and mycelium to toxic agents.

The Pennsylvania Commission maintained laboratories during the summer at
Charter Oak, Centre County, and at Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County. The
latter has been moved to Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, for
the winter. We have also had a laboratory at the University of
Pennsylvania, which has been greatly enlarged this fall.

The number of people who informed us that they had discovered a sure
"cure" for the blight made it necessary to obtain an orchard near
Philadelphia where all such discoverers were given an opportunity to
demonstrate the efficacy of their remedies. It might be noted that in
every case the blight is thriving as usual. These cures consisted
largely of an injection of a toxic principle by some means into the
circulation of the tree. In some cases this was accompanied by a
fertilizer of some kind, and this fertilizer may account for the
apparently improved condition of the tree in some cases, after such
remedies were used, since the growth was increased and the leaves and
branches had a healthier appearance. This increased growth has not had
any appreciable effect upon the rapidity of spread of the blight
mycelium. As the experiments are not officially finished and recorded it
is too early to give any further data. Our pathologists have also
conducted experiments in this same line but no medicinal remedy or
fertilizer has yet been found.

The varying chemical constituents of chestnut trees, principally tannic
acid, have often been suggested in regard to the origin and spread of
the blight. Investigators a