e large. It got too
dry and died off. I have never rooted American chestnut cuttings. I have
rooted some Chinese chestnuts.

THE PRESIDENT: Some of the Chinese chestnuts root quite readily
from those small shoots that come up from the ground. I conducted a
little experiment in trying to propagate the Chinese chestnuts by
cuttings. I made 144 cuttings. They all dutifully and beautifully died.
I don't mean to say that the Chinese chestnut cannot be rooted by
cuttings.

DR. ZIMMERMAN: I noticed one chestnut that was toppling over
and the leaves were withering. The rats had taken it off just below the
ground. I couldn't find a root anywhere, but it was callused. I cut it
back and planted it again. It must have roots now for it is still green.
Otherwise it wouldn't live this long.

THE PRESIDENT: Your experiments are of very great interest. If
you are successful you will deserve the gratitude of this and future
generations.

MR. HARRINGTON: Do you remember when we were down at the Riehl
nursery that we ran into a chestnut that produces 7 to 9 in a burr?

THE PRESIDENT: I remember one tree that had a great many nuts.

MR. HARRINGTON: I had one with 7 nuts and they said there were
some with 9. Was that the one named Gibbons?

DR. COLBY: That has three nuts to the burr.

DR. DEMING: Dr. Colby, there have been two instances of blight
infection in Illinois. Could you tell us how the eradication was done?

DR. COLBY: In each case the tree was burned and the disease
entirely eradicated by fire on the spot.

THE PRESIDENT: Dr. Colby has a paper from Mr. Littlepage on the
plant patent law.

"PLANT PATENT ACT"

_By Thomas P. Littlepage, District of Columbia Bar, Washington, D. C._

The plant patent act is an effort by Congress, as stated in the
Committee reports on this bill, "to afford agriculture, so far as
practicable, the same opportunity to participate in the benefits of the
patent system as has been given industry, and thus assist in placing
agriculture on a basis of economic equality with industry." The act is
rather short and is set forth below:

[PUBLIC--NO. 245--71ST CONGRESS]

[S. 4015]

An Act To provide for plant patents.

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled._ That sections 4884 and 4886 of
the Revised Statutes, as amended. (U. S. C., title 35, secs. 40 and 31),
are amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 4884. Every