Just for Fun!!! What is this? (bug, Massachusetts, insects, dog)
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I actually sent Sara Fitzsimmons, at Penn State, some of the leaves from our tree for identification. She is involved with the American Chestnut Foundation: The American Chestnut Foundation - Penn State She wanted to use our tree for pollination – but it was already starting to dye off. It is now on it's last legs with only about two lower branches still living. I don't think that it will live more than another year or two. We did try fertilizing it to give it a better chance. I had removed a large section of the dead top – which had borers in it. Perhaps I should have given it a systemic insecticide/fertilizer?
If it has the blight, the mud packs would likely be the only way to save it, if it's not already too far gone.
If it has the blight, the mud packs would likely be the only way to save it, if it's not already too far gone.
I am pretty sure that you are right about the blight. However; it also had borers – possibly they got established because of the blight? It probably does not have ten feet living of the once thirty foot tree.
On the brighter side; I have seen several small chestnuts on the dirt road I take back to that one larger tree. The big tree is on our hunting camp land. I used to have pictures of it on my old computer that just died. The smaller trees are not on our camp property but the property of another camp.
By the way does anybody have any idea what that is in post number 21?
I am pretty sure that you are right about the blight. However; it also had borers – possibly they got established because of the blight? It probably does not have ten feet living of the once thirty foot tree.
On the brighter side; I have seen several small chestnuts on the dirt road I take back to that one larger tree. The big tree is on our hunting camp land. I used to have pictures of it on my old computer that just died. The smaller trees are not on our camp property but the property of another camp.
By the way does anybody have any idea what that is in post number 21?
Now that's a shame. If only 10 feet of the trunk is still alive, it may be a lost cause. The borers were always a problem for chestnuts. Being weakened by the blight only makes the tree less able to survive and fight the infestation.
Coincidentally, yesterday I saw an orchard full of likely blight resistant chestnut trees in the national forest here. Small but healthy trees. There may be some hope the chestnut will retake its place in the forests eventually.
Now that's a shame. If only 10 feet of the trunk is still alive, it may be a lost cause. The borers were always a problem for chestnuts. Being weakened by the blight only makes the tree less able to survive and fight the infestation.
Coincidentally, yesterday I saw an orchard full of likely blight resistant chestnut trees in the national forest here. Small but healthy trees. There may be some hope the chestnut will retake its place in the forests eventually.
I believe that the American Chestnut Foundation was working on a cross between our American Chestnut and the Chinese Chestnut. They were hoping to get a variety that was predominately American Chestnut – but had the Chinese Chestnut's resistance to the blight.
Back in the 1950's and 60's I had access to land that had several native trees that I would get really good nuts from. I don't have access to that property now. I was always curious if the trees continued to grow or if they died off.
I wished that I had heard of the mud pack treatment sooner.
# 21 looks to me like a chestnut engulfed in some kind of red slime - ewwwww
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