near coniferous stands.

The most plausible and, so far as the writer can see, the only reasonable explanation of such a distribution is by bird agency. It is a well-known fact to any one who has ever watched the habits of birds that they are more abundant on the borders of woods, especially evergreen woods, or where there is a change of type, as at the edge of a swampy tract. If then, both the birds and the disease are more abundant at the edges of coniferous stands where the hardwoods or chestnut adjoin them, and no other agency will account for such a distribution of the disease, why should the two facts not be cause and effect?

The data on the location of fruiting bodies on the tree as regards height seem to point to the same conclusion. Actual notes taken in the latter part of the field work show that when the infection was still comparatively local on the trees, it usually had started on the main stem, somewhere in the middle third of its height. The writer feels certain that, if further data on this point had been secured, it would have shown the same results. The data secured are as follows:

In three cases, in which the trees were climbed to examine infections which were confined to branches, the fruiting bodies were on the upper sides of the branches only. In only two cases did the infection seem to have started round a wound. These figures again indicate a distribution by birds, and primarily by the creeping birds, such as the creeper, nuthatches, and woodpeckers, which spend most of their time on the trunks and big limbs. Although these birds are permanent residents in Petersham, there is a decided migration of them in spring and fall as those that are residents further north or south pass through. This would explain the rapid spread of the disease over long distances and also its peculiar local distribution.

In order to discover any possible effect of distribution by wind, the groups of sprouts, in which not all of the trees were surely

infected, were considered separately.

This furnished data for the following table which show the relative frequency with which the infected sprouts were found in different positions in the

These results surely show that a prevailing southwest or northwest wind is not the prime factor in the distribution of the spores.

The disease is a serious menace to the future production of chestnut in the region. Of about 700 trees examined (counting groups of sprouts as single trees), 122 or seventeen per cent had infection which seemed to be two or more years old; nine or one per cent showed a probable three year old infection. Several trees which were examined fifteen months previously by Professor Graves and considered sound at that time are now badly infected. On the special tract, where the infection was as bad as any that the writer saw, in a stand with a large proportion of chestnut, the results were as follows:

From these figures, it is evident that the chestnut bark disease is a very serious and imminent menace in this region. Estimating conservatively and judging from the fact that trees, dead at present, have not been infected more than three years, thirteen per cent of the trees in this stand will be dead in two years and twenty-five per cent to thirty per cent in three years.

† Dead trees are also included in Class I.

From the foregoing data, it is possible to sum up the following tentative conclusions as to the habits and status of the fungus. It is fully realized that the basis for most of these tentative conclusions is very meager.

1. The disease is well established and widely distributed in the town of Petersham.

2. Sprout or seedling origin has no effect on the susceptibility of chestnut trees to the disease.

3. Proximity to highways and roads has no apparent relation to the infection.

4. The fruiting bodies appear first almost always on the S. or S. W. sides of the trees.

5. Trees over six inches in diameter at breast height are somewhat more resistant to the disease than those below that size.

6. There is no definite direction of spread about centres of infection.

7. The location of infected trees in partially infected groups of sprouts shows that wind is not the prime factor in the distribution of the spores.

8. Dominant trees are as likely if not more likely to be infected than suppressed ones.

9. Lesions usually appear first in the middle third of the main

stem.

10. The disease occurs in any type where chestnut forms a part of the stand. Infection is more abundant, however, near the margins of coniferous stands, which indicates that birds may be a very important, if not the primary agent, in its distribution.

11. At the present time, the worst infection seen shows thirteen per cent of the chestnuts badly infected so that they will die in two years.

COLLECTION OF LODGEPOLE PINE SEED ON

THE LEADVILLE NATIONAL FOREST

J. EDWARD MARTIN, M.F. 1908

CONSIDERING the large areas on the Leadville National Forest that have been burnt or cut over, there is no more serious problem confronting the Service than that of reforestation. In most instances, these areas are adjacent to timber line and are above the main bodies of timber so that they do not receive the benefits of the prevailing winds regarding seed dissemination. These areas are potential timber land and at one time supported large bodies of merchantable timber. Owing to the altitude and soil conditions, this land is available for no purpose, excepting at the present time it has a nominal value for grazing.

Many important rivers as the Arkansas, Blue, Middle and South forks of the Platte, together with their principal tributaries, have their origin in the Forest. Practically all of the ranchmen in and adjacent to the Forest, together with those in the valleys below are dependent on the water from these rivers for irrigation purposes. With the agricultural land of the State increasing, water values will also increase in due proportion, as the agricultural value of the land is dependent upon the mountain stream flow. By an extension of forest growth on these denuded areas, a great deal will be accomplished in meeting the above purposes in bringing about a constant and maximum period of water flow when it is most needed for irrigation.

Perhaps the most important question concerning forest extension work is the collection of seed. The extent to which this work is carried on is largely dependent on the supply of seed that is available for this purpose. This problem is one which requires considerable foresight and preparation on the part of the Forest officers. We should always be familiar enough with the Forest, and especially every ranger with his district, to determine whether there is a sufficient crop to make seed collecting practicable.

On the Leadville most attention is given to the collection of lodgepole pine. Although other species as yellow pine, douglas fir, engelmann spruce, etc., are available, we are not so sure of a successful crop. A large annual crop of lodgepole pine seed is conceded a certainty and owing to its wide distribution and accessibility, a large amount of seed can be collected every year. At the high altitudes no species is considered more favorable for reforestation, and from a protective standpoint, it is considered one of our most important trees. Owing to its great variety of uses, it is also an important tree for commercial purposes.

Two years are required for lodgepole pine to mature their cones, consequently, the small green cones that are seen in the spring form the basis upon which to determine the crop expected in the fall. The flowers of the lodgepole pine are orange red in color, and the staminate are in short crowded spikes, while the pistillate are clustered or in pairs on stout stalks. The blossoms of this species are conspicuous in May or June. By July 15, the staminate flowers have withered or disappeared, and the pistillate flowers have begun to develop into growing cones, so that there is no difficulty in determining the crop. By considering the density of the stand, the distribution of the crop, and the area over which the crop appears to be good, we have a basis on which to estimate the amount of seed that will be available.

Prior to 1910, all the seed that was used for reforestation work was sent here from the other Forests. The first extensive seed collecting on the Forest was done in the fall of 1910 when crews were working adjacent to Leadville, Dillon, Buena Vista and Twin Lakes. A total of 678 bushels was collected at a cost of $1.431 per bushel, or $4.368 per pound. During the field season of 1911, all the work of collecting this species was concentrated at Dillon. Although all the cost data for last year's collecting is not available at the present time, we are confident that it will be greatly reduced and should not exceed over $2.50 per pound.

In general seed collecting starts about September 15, although in some instances, collecting might start a little earlier. On this Forest, the last cones are generally secured about November 15. In this locality the length of the cone collecting season is generally determined by climatic conditions.