STUDIES OF PLANT DISTRIBUTION AND THEIR RELATIONS TO CLIMATE Mr. BUCHANAN. Plant geography, I guess that is explained under the note. Doctor TAYLOR. The note covers it, yes. Certain studies of plant distribution and of the relation of those plants to climate which make possible a more intelligent determination of where to explore. If we are seeking some particular type of plant, as for instance some pasture grass which would grow in winter in the South, the first step in an intelligent consideration of that would be to get as full information as we can with regard to other parts of the world where the climatic conditions are somewhat similar and then direct both correspondence and exploration with that background of information. Field stations and major field experiments of foreign plant introductions $21, 891 Remarks Major activity: Propagation, testing and distribution to scientific institutions of newly introduced plants of scientific and economic value. 15, 872 Major activity: Propagation, testing and distribution to scientific institutions of newly introduced plants of scientific and economic value in semi and subtropical regions. 7, 159 Major activity: Studie of numerous varieties of bamboos for the purpose of creating a minor industry for the nursery trade in the South; minor work with deciduous fruits and chestnuts. 48,000 Major activity: Headquarters for all experimental plant work of the division; introduction and testing of deciduous fruits and ornamental plants of scientific and economic importance, and maintenance of permanent collections for scientific use. FOREST PATHOLOGY Mr. BUCHANAN. The next item is: Forest pathology: For the investigation of diseases of forest and ornamental trees and shrubs, including a study of the nature and habits of the parasitic fungi causing the chestnut-tree bark disease, the white-pine blister rust, and other epidemic tree diseases, for the purpose of discovering new methods of control and applying methods of eradication or control already discovered, and including $112,560 for investigations of diseases of forest trees and forest prodacts, under section 3 of the act approved May 22, 1928 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 16, sec. 581b), $206,955. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION Doctor TAYLOR. Under this appropriation the diseases of forest and shade trees and shrubs and forest products, including white pine blister rust, chestnut blight, heart-rot of Douglas fir, European larch canker, and many other diseases, are investigated with a view to determining methods of control. No independent field stations are maintained, but pathologists cooperating with the Forest Service and State institutions are stationed at: San Francisco, Calif. New Orleans, La. Alburquerque, N. Mex. Portland, Oreg. Philadelphia, Pa. Tree-disease emergencies: Work under this project consists of the investigation of the newly discovered Dutch elm disease in this country, a scouting program to determine occurrence of European larch canker and investigations leading to its control, as well as preliminary studies of the Woodgate rust. The causes and methods of control of tree diseases must be sought for when they first appear in the country, before they have become established and have caused serious losses. In these early stages it is often possible to eradicate the diseases. The Dutch elm disease, so serious in Europe, threatens the widely distributed American elm. The European larch canker has importance to the larch forests of the Northern and Western States and its relation to Pacific Coast Douglas fir must be cleared up. The danger of the Woodgate rust is to the pitch pines of the South and the Pacific coast. Diseases of shade trees, shrubs, and chestnut orchards: Work under this project consists of investigations leading to the control of the diseases of street and other ornamental trees and shrubs, as well as the diseases occurring in cultivated chestnut trees, including cooperation with the Department of the Interior in studying diseases of trees in the National Parks. The demand for information on the diseases of ornamental, street, and park trees is far greater than can be supplied and many hundreds of specimens are received each year for diagnosis. The disease and breeding investigations of chestnut are undertaken with a view to establishing a chestnut-orchard industry in this country. Diseases of forest trees and forest products: Work under this project, carried on mainly at the experiment stations of the Forest Service, consists of investigations of the native diseases attacking standing trees in the forest as well as the fungus discolorations and decays of logs, lumber, and so forth, and is part of the program authorized by the McNary-McSweeney Act. Research on the longintroduced diseases, chestnut blight and white-pine blister rust, is also included, forming a basis for the development of resistant forest chestnuts and for the local control of the rust. The management of Government, State, and private forests on a profitable basis depends upon the prevention of loss from disease. Because of the long life of forest trees, study of these diseases must be continuous over a period of years. Investigation of fungus injury to forest products is under way, including a campaign against the sap-stain, for which the southern lumbermen are furnishing part of the funds and to meet the demands for information by other groups of wood producers and consumers. DECREASE IN ESTIMATE Mr. BUCHANAN. Now, on forest pathology, the appropriation in 1932 was $223,572. This was added to in the second deficiency act 1931-32, for Dutch elm diseases by the sum of $13,332, making a total appropriation of $236,904. You had this fiscal year $220,436, and the Budget estimate for 1934 is $206,955, a decrease for next year amounting to $13,481. Doctor TAYLOR. That decrease is entirely legislative furlough and the work continues as it has for several years past. DISEASES OF FOREST TREES AND FOREST PRODUCTS The investigation of diseases of forest trees and of timber, that is of the harvested timber, certain discoloration diseases, stain diseases, being due to fungi which attack the wood after the timber is cut, and also in connection with this forest tree disease study, the study of certain diseases of ornamental trees which are close kin so that the disease work on them can be most effectively handled here. The study and control of nursery and forest plantation diseases are vital factors in the rapidly expanding reforestation program in this country. DUTCH ELM DISEASE Mr. BUCHANAN. I would like to hear something about this new item you have in this bill. In the bill last year there was a deficiency item of some thirteen thousand and some odd dollars due to the Dutch elm disease. Is that calculated to have to be increased to large proportions in order to combat that disease? Doctor TAYLOR. We hope not, and, if the experience of the season just closed is continued, that is continued for a number of years, we may be able, perhaps, to feel that the country is free from it. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is it a fungus disease? Doctor TAYLOR. It is a fungus disease which appeared in western Europe, on the Continent in 1919 and was recognized as a distinct disease some few years ago, five or six years ago. It has swept the elms of the western European low countries, Holland, Belgium, western Germany, and France in a very alarming way, spoiling trees, killing them eventually. It got across the channel into the British Isles where it has been doing much damage on the elms which there are shade and park and highway trees, rather than timber trees, and was found three years ago in two places in this country. Mr. BUCHANAN. How did it get here? Doctor TAYLOR. We do not know. There had not been importations, that is there had not been declared importations of elm trees. which would account for it, but the disease was observed, was reported, was studied, and found identical with the one which was prevalent in western Europe. Mr. BUCHANAN. Does it attack the roots or the leaves? Doctor TAYLOR. The top, the branches, and the situation to date, in so far as this year's work is concerned, is substantially this: The disease appeared in Holland in 1919; it is now widespread over Europe including the British Isles, and is steadily spreading. It was found in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1930, 3 trees being discovered, and in Cincinnati, 1 tree. In 1931, 4 trees were found in Cleveland, and in 1932 no trees found. All infection found has been destroyed. Mr. BUCHANAN. HOW? 149139-32-21 Doctor TAYLOR. By cutting out and burning the diseased trees. The scouting has been limited to the infection centers. The organism has been definitely determined, the fungus which produces the disease. Intensive scouting in Cleveland has been done and some reconnaissance elsewhere. A thorough scouting of the eastern States is needed. No American center of infection has been found. We have not found it in any nursery nor in any particular center out of which it would have been likely to spread. In Europe it has been determined that it is transmitted locally by certain insects, but the means of transmission and spread in this country we do not yet know. It is important that there should be work on this disease continued because, superficially, it rather closely resembles in its earlier stages certain other diseases of the elm which have long been here and from which it is necessary, because of the nondistinctiveness of this, to promptly distinguish this form. Mr. BUCHANAN. How do you kill those on the trees you have found? Doctor TAYLOR. Take out the trees. Doctor KELLERMAN. There have only been a few trees found infected. Mr. BUCHANAN. I understand; anywhere? Doctor TAYLOR. Yes. Of course, elm has been in certain parts of the country an important timber tree. It is one of the best veneer woods for ply wood and for fruit package manufacture but its largest importance in this country at the present time undoubtedly is as a park and street and home place tree which it would be very difficult to replace. Mr. HART. It is very resistant to diseases and attack by insects and all that sort of thing. It stays green, in other words. Doctor TAYLOR. It does west of the Alleghenies. - Mr. HART. There is a certain insect that makes necessary the spraying of the elms here in the east to control them but we never see anything of that in Michigan. I have some elms around my house. I took out the maple and put in elms. The maple were constantly attacked by something. Doctor TAYLOR. Anything which would destructively reduce our elm tree shade would be a disaster which would be felt in the cities and towns, as well as in the country, but we feel much easier about it than we did two years ago because of the fact that the scouting so far has not disclosed any centers of dispersion nor this year any individual cases. Mr. HART. Let me ask you this question. You have scouts in the New England area on other subjects, that is, plant scouts. Would not they be competent to be on the lookout for this disease? Doctor TAYLOR. Well, in a sort of casual way, yes; but the man who has his eyes glued on the potato or corn fields, except as he goes to and from place to place, would probably make merely a superficial observation. Mr. HART. Take the fellow looking for Japanese beetles, for instance. Doctor TAYLOR. There is a certain amount of incidental observation which is helpful. It is all helpful, but it is our experience that with a thing like this if you are going to be sure of what you are doing when you cruise a territory, that the man needs to be pretty largely able to concentrate on that particular thing. EXPERIMENT WITH BLIGHT-RESISTANT TREES Mr. BUCHANAN. Doctor, years ago-5, 6, 10, or maybe 12-we had considerable discussion in this committee relative to blightresistant trees; and you went to foreign countries and brought back chestnut trees which you thought promising and planted them, and the last I heard of it they were growing. A good many years have elapsed, and I would like to know what has become of that experi ment. Doctor TAYLOR. Those large importations of oriental chestnuts were made in 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1931. We have another importation of nuts from the observed resistant trees now in transit from Japan and China. Mr. BUCHANAN. You had some importations longer than three years ago. Doctor TAYLOR. We had certain small importations although the definite study by the specialist sent there was made from 1927 to 1930. He was in the Orient about two and a half years during that period. A considerable number of those seedlings, which comprise several species of chestnuts, and other trees closely related to the chestnuts, are now growing in this country, planted in blocks in places where they will get the full chestnut blight exposure and following definite artificial, inoculation tests that have been made upon individual selected trees in the nursery work and the greenhouses here. We have a considerable number of those which appear to be at the same time sufficiently resistant to the disease and sufficiently vigorous in growth to be promising for the future, particularly with respect to chestnuts for nut production, that is for orchard practice. Whether we will find that any of these make as strong timber growth as our American chestnut did, is not yet certain. Mr. BUCHANAN. I understand one of the principal uses of this chestnut tree was to obtain some kind of acid out of them or varnish. Doctor TAYLOR. It is tanning extract which is secured by grinding up the wood and extracting the tannin. Mr. BUCHANAN. I understand there is a considerable amount of that tannic acid needed in this country. Doctor TAYLOR. There is. It constitutes something like 60 per cent of the total domestic vegetable tannin supply that our leathertanning industry is dependent upon. Mr. BUCHANAN. And one of the primary purposes of the original appropriations was to try to find a chestnut tree which could be produced in this country in sufficient volume to furnish this tannic acid? Doctor TAYLOR. That is really the major objective of the undertaking. Of course, it takes some years to grow trees and determine their stature and value. Mr. BUCHANAN. Well, after it has been demonstrated that you have a blight-resistant tree, then it is up to private industry to grow them? |