William, it was/is a blight caused by a fungus, not worms. Introduced on Asian stock in New York around 1900, then spread South. Not meaning to be picky, just hoping to explain.Back when we had large, slower growing pines, the heart would last forever. That is until you spilled a few coals on it next to the fireplace and that pine burned like gasoline. Poplar is pretty good and white oak if you get all the sap wood off. I guess Chestnut was good against everything except those worms.