Ixxviii PEOCEEDINGS. 



Stereum rugosum. — Forms a dirty- white, inseparable crust on 

 branches. A true parasite, very destructive to the cherry-laurel. 



Stereum Mrsufum. — Very showy. Common as a saprophyte on 

 decaying timber ; but at times becoming a very destructive parasite 

 on trees of various kinds. 



Clavaria vermicularis. — A fragile little fungus, resembling a 

 dense cluster of crow-quills tied together ; pure white. Although 

 individually small, it is a social species, growing in great abundance 

 among short grass, and it is one of the most delicious of esculent 

 species, being almost indistinguishable from "cheese-straws" in 

 flavour when properly cooked. 



Rhytisma acerinum. — Forms the conspicuous black patches on 

 living sycamore leaves. Diseased leaves fall early; hence, when 

 the disease is present in quantity, and appears year after year, as 

 is usually the case, the tree is seriously injured by the parasite. 

 The class of spores which inoculate the young leaves in spring are 

 only formed on the black patches of fallen leaves which have rotted 

 on the ground during the winter ; hence, if all diseased leaves were 

 collected and burned during the autumn before the spores are 

 mature, the disease would be checked. 



Baldinia concentrica. — Amongst the largest of Pyrenomycetous 

 Fungi, and by no means common in Britain. The genus illustrates 

 an ancient and almost extinct type, its three or four species being 

 very widely distributed, especially in tropical regions. 



Splicerella fragrance. — The cause of a very serious disease to 

 cultivated strawberries, more or less covering the leaves with 

 purplish red patches, each having a pale central spot. When the 

 leaves are badly diseased they fail to perform their functions, hence 

 there is a lack of elaborated food-supply, and consequently a poor 

 crop of fruit the year following the attack. This disease can be 

 held in check by spraying at intervals, until the flowers expand, 

 with a solution of potassium-sulphide — two ounces dissolved in 

 three gallons of water. 



