[bpodgursky]

> There used to be about 4 million American chestnut trees in eastern U.S. forests, until chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) arrived in New York via infected plants and spread rapidly, nearly wiping out the majestic trees

Fwiw this is wrong -- it used to be 4 billion.

[tylerrobinson]

Yes! This is a remarkable typo that gives a very different impression of the history of the tree. 4 million trees in the whole eastern US would make them uncommon even at their peak, when the truth is that they were everywhere.