49 



in the spruce forests is very large, but careful experiments will have 

 to ])e made to determine its relation to trees weakened by other causes, 

 also its progress through the soil from tree to tree. 



KEMEDIES. 



This fungus ma}^ be accounted most destructive to dead timber, and 

 any remedies spoken of for Polyporus plnicola apply here. Dead 

 trees should be utilized before the chance for infection becomes too 

 great. No practical remedies can be suggested at present to prevent 

 its spread through the soil. 



OTHER DISEASES. 



Besides the diseases described in the foregoing there are a num])er 

 of others of which not enough was seen to enable a full description to 

 be given. 



POLYPOEUS VAPOKARIUS (PERS.) FK. 



This is frequent on Spruces and Firs, and induces a brown rot of the 

 sapwood. The fungus occurs widely spread over the United States 

 and Canada on all coniferous woods. Its fruiting body is very 

 variable, and there are probably many fungi included under this name 

 which do not belong there. From observations made in the Maine 

 woods it seems that this fungus attacks dead much more than living 

 trees, destroying them for timber very rapidly. A fuller description 

 of it will be given at a later date. 



POLYPORUS ANNOSUS FR. 



This fungus is a parasite of European trees much feared by the for- 

 esters of the Continent. Diligent search was made for it, but fully 

 formed fruiting ])odies were not found. A single Spruce seen on the 

 top of Mount Kineo, Moosehead Lake, had its roots covered with tirm 

 leathery sheets, such as PoJyjJoi'u.s annosus sometimes forms on the 

 roots of the Southern Pines. Unfortunately there were no means at 

 hand to cut down the tree, so that an inspection of its trunk was 

 impossible. Other diseased trees of Spruce and of the Fir were seen 

 north of the Kangeley Lakes. One of those Avas overturned, having 

 grown in a dami) locality. Its roots were covered with the yellowish 

 leatherv felts which extended into the surroundino- soil. The trunk of 

 this tree was completely rotted in the center, th(> decay going up the 

 trunk for 25 feet (almost S meters). At this point the wood was brown, 

 showed some white areas, and smelled strongly of prussic acid. The 

 stumps of many other Spruces were examiniHlfor evidences of this fun- 

 gus. Some S})ruces were found which had small holes in the sunnner wood 

 of many annual rings. The wood when cut longitudinally showed many 

 of thes(> holes, which dUl'ered fioni those formed by Ti'dtitctea pln'i. 

 577r) No. 25 4 



