ness and
it is impossible to dissociate the eating of chestnuts from the
possibilities. At the same time it is not possible to show that
chestnuts were the cause of the trouble rather than something else which
was taken at the same time.

THE SECRETARY: I wrote to the physician near Hartford whose wife is
reported to have died, but I have had no answer.

DR. METCALF: After following those cases up and finding that chestnuts
could not be excluded as a possible cause, we have started experiments
with various animals, also some chemical, to determine if there is any
possibility of any definite toxic substance in the nuts; so far results
are negligible. We are not prepared to say whether there is anything in
chestnut poisoning or whether there is not.

THE SECRETARY: I think there are three points in relation to the
chestnut blight of very great importance to the practical nut grower,
and I would like Professor Collins to answer these questions. In the
first place, how far are we justified in recommending planting of
non-immune varieties within the blighted area, in limited quantities,
with the understanding that there is a fair show of keeping them
tolerably free from the blight by watchful care and cutting out? Mr.
Roberts of New Jersey has a large chestnut orchard and he says he is not
afraid of the blight. He has had a large crop of chestnuts this year,
and he says that, while he has cut out, I believe, one orchard of small
trees his large bearing trees are not seriously affected by the blight.
This is the same testimony that we had from Colonel Sober last year.

The second question is, how far are we justified in recommending the
planting of chestnuts outside of the present blighted area? It seems to
me this is a very important point. Can we go so far outside the present
blight area, perhaps beyond the present range of the chestnut tree, that
we can hope to plant them without their being exposed to danger, or much
danger, of contagion from the blight? Can we recommend their being
planted in places where the chestnut does not grow now perhaps within
several hundred miles?

And the third question is in regard to immune varieties. How far has the
immune quality of any varieties been demonstrated?

PROFESSOR COLLINS: With regard to the first question,--planting of
non-immune varieties within the chestnut disease area,--I don't feel
like recommending it except on an experimental basis. Perhaps I am
recommending somet