Dear Beverly,
I hope that all is well with you
I was digging in the garden near a stump from a very large old American Chestnut tree had been growing years ago. The thick roots I hit with my shovel were still very hard preserved in the soil. The Chestnut that grew there was a massive tree — the remains of the stump just breaks the surface of the dirt.
These old trees had been wiped out in a blight back in the 1920 and 30s much like the American Elm. Before the blight they were the most prevalent tree throughout the east coast reaching a size of staggering proportions.
The lodge here is built of American Chestnut from the property.
I understand that there are a couple of organizations who are making concentrated efforts to bring back the Chestnut. Although they are able to successfully grow them, once the tree reaches about 10 years old the blight attacks and the tree dies. Research has shown it to be some sort of a fungus in the soil from what I have read. I believe that they are trying to cross breed with another more hardy form of chestnut. I’m gathering some information on the organizations as well as the blight.
I actually have a few leaves from an old Chestnut here framed as well as some of the old nuts.
Ill post some information as I have it.
