y Department noticed that these trees were
dying and called our attention to this matter about four weeks ago. I
examined the trees in company with Mr. J. H. Muncie, one of our
assistants, and found all the external appearances of Chestnut Blight
with, however, only a very few imperfectly developed pycnidia. We
brought pieces of the bark of these trees into the laboratory and made
cultures and obtained the typical mycelium of chestnut blight. The
trees have been removed and we now have them in our laboratory.

"I am calling this to your attention as the trees were doubtless
infected when shipped. I feel that you ought to know that this firm is
sending out diseased trees.

"Very truly yours,
"(Signed,) ERNEST A. BESSEY,
"Professor of Botany."

The following is an extract from a letter from Frank N. Wallace, State
Entomologist of Indiana, dated July 13, 1916:

"My Dear Sir:

"Under separate cover I am sending you some samples of chestnut blight
which I secured from some trees shipped by Mr. C. K. Sober, Lewisburg,
Pa. Mr. Sober doubts that we have even seen a case of chestnut blight
and wanted some samples and I sent him the other half of the samples
which I am sending you.

"I have been trying to check up on some of Mr. Sober's trees and so far
I have found nearly fifty per cent of them have died from chestnut
blight disease."

The samples sent with this letter showed typical chestnut blight.

Some months ago Dr. W. H. Long, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, became
interested in the possibility of growing chestnuts in that country and
communicated with Glen Brothers, of Rochester, N. Y., to secure certain
information regarding them. He secured the information he wanted and
also some that was slightly gratuitous. I will read extracts from the
two letters:

"In regard to the blight, which you call the Eastern Chestnut Canker,
would say that this tree is practically immune from this disease, and
you would stand no more chance of having your chestnut trees infected
with the blight should you plant them, than you would if you planted
apple trees, of having them infected with the San Jose Scale or peach
trees, of the Peach Blight.

"There are over half a million trees at the famous Sober orchard in
Paxinos, Pa., none of which have the blight, and yet the blight rages
all around them in the American Sweet Chestnut groves that are all
through the mountain. Further evidence of its immunity from this disease
we c