LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Plant Industry, 



Office of the Chief, 

 Wasliington, D. C, Fehruary 21, 1911. 



Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper entitled ''The 

 1'iniber Kot Caused by Lenzites Sepiaria," by Dr. Perley Spaulding, 

 Pathologist in the Office of Investigations in Forest Pathology of this 

 Bureau. I recommend that it be published as Bulletin No. 214 of the 

 series of this Bureau. 



This paper summaiizes and brings up to date our kno-\vlodge con- 

 cerning this serious wood-rotting fungus. It contains new informa- 

 tion concerning its hfe liistory and gives practical methods of pre- 

 venting its ravages. It is designed as a contribution toward our 

 knowledge of the fundamental facts of forest pathology in this 

 country. At the time the manuscript was first prepared there was no 

 adequate publication upon this form of timber rot in any language; 

 recently, however, such a })a])er, Falck's "Die Lenzitesfaule des 

 Conifcrenholzes/' has been issued in Germany. So far as the tv.'o 

 pa])ers cover the same ground they agree in essentials, l)ut vary in 

 minor details. The fields and conditions are so different in the two 

 countries that nothing else could be expected. 



Dr. Spaulding is indebted to the custodians of the following her- 

 baria for the privilege of collecting data from their collections: 

 Missouri Botanical Garden, University of Wisconsin, New York 

 Botanical Garden, New York vState ]\Iuseum, Harvard University, 

 Univei'sity of Vermont; also to Mr. E. T. Harper, for allowing similar 

 work in his private herbarium. 



Respectfully, Wm. A. Taylor, 



Acting Cliief of Bureau. 

 Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



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