wrote:
It seems I recall reading about some kind of a blight or fungus that
afflicts pine trees. We are concerned that some of our pines have it.
They have swollen spots on the trunks and some branches, a kind of rust

You might do better to check the NCSU Ag Extension website as
a first step: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/ I think there are
probably a lot of other resources online, too.

Digression--and it only applies if the pines are near your
house, not ones out in the woods:

Personally, I think pines are hundred-foot weeds; they drop
mess all year, and it's only a question of time before you
have to have them cut down, or have them fall on your house.
I think anybody who plants pines deliberately in a residential
area ought to be jailed. But that's just me.

_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001