trees show infection many of which are making
attempts to heal which are often very successful. This species is native
to Eastern China and has long been accustomed to the _Endothia_ fungus,
developing in the course of time a very considerable degree of
resistance to it. From present appearances the Chinese chestnut may be
grown in orchard form with no greater loss from disease than the pear
from its particular form of blight. It hybridizes well with the Japan
chestnut and both of the dwarf chinquapins, but this progeny is not yet
sufficiently developed to warrant judgment.

_Castanea crenata_, the familiar Japan chestnut, appears everywhere to
show greater blight resistance than any other species that has been
tried out and is therefore the most hopeful parent to be used for
developing a useful race of disease-resistant hybrids and cross-breeds.
It has the further merit of bearing very profuse crops of large nuts at
an early age, but they are often lacking in quality, being usually harsh
to the taste in the raw state though palatable when cooked. A few
varieties bear well-flavored nuts, but these appear to be hybrids with
our native species and are notably less resistant to blight. Pure Japan
varieties grown from imported nuts are rarely injured by blight, and by
many are regarded as immune, but those grown from nuts produced in
situations exposed to the effects of native pollen are occasionally
attacked and even killed outright by the _Endothia_ fungus. It has
considerable power to transmit its resisting qualities to its hybrids
with the chinquapins, and a few individuals among the latter appear to
retain resistance to such a degree that we may yet find among them some
of the best nut-producing chestnut varieties of the future.

From the purely horticultural standpoint these hybrids between
chinquapins and chestnut species must be considered as most striking
successes. If this terribly destructive disease, probably the most
virulent that afflicts any tree in the temperate climate, could be
controlled there would be little need to look further for varieties
suited for commercial and home culture, some of which can be as readily
grown as peach trees and come into bearing as young. As the situation
stands we must search further for individuals that combine good cropping
capacity with practical disease-resistance.

At this writing the most promising outlook appears among selected
seedlings of pure _Crenata_ blood, or h