G. MASSEE — PARASITIC FUNGI. 17 



diseased shrivel up. They do not die hecause they are cut and 

 wounded, but because a fungus has destroyed all the sap, which 

 it would not have done had they been sprayed with this fluid. 



There is another form of microscopic fungus, with which all 

 must be familiar in the shape of little bright red coral-like spots 

 generally seen on dead sticks and branches. These are what are 

 termed " wound -parasites " ; they do not possess the power of 

 attacking li-siug plants, but will only fix upon those parts which 

 have been rubbed or broken, whence the name. They are to be 

 found on black currants and red currants, and they are especially 

 partial to the common sycamore. Early in the summer, and in 

 fact in spring, these bright red spots appear. There are some 

 forty or fiity species, but the commonest is that known as Nectria 

 cinnaharina, the spots of which when examined under the microscope 

 appear to stand up like little warts. 



There is not, after all, much mystery in the development of 

 fungoid diseases. There are certain fungi which can only attack 

 dead matter, and there are others which can only attack living 

 matter ; so that we have two groups — saprophytes and parasites. 

 If a saprophyte be carefully cultivated it can be induced to become 

 a parasite, and if the spores are taken and the process is repeated 

 five or six times, a true parasite will in the end be obtained. 



I will now refer to another kind of fungus altogether, one like 

 a toadstool. Agarims melleus grows at the roots of trees. And in 

 speaking of this I may remark that in Germany there are special 

 forest schools with professors of plant biology, which we might do 

 well to have in England. The melleus does injury to the extent 

 of millions of poimds in forests, and particularly in Germany, 

 where the woods and forests are immense. It commences at the 

 root and goes up the whole of the tree. It is one of those things 

 which are exceedingly difficult to combat, and I have seen orchards 

 devastated by this one fungus. A method of defence is trenching 

 and the filling of the trenches with quicklime or wood-ashes — 

 the latter because they possess a certain amount of potash. 



There is another fungus similar to this which is prevalent in 

 French and German vineyards and attacks almost everything. 

 It is commonly called a root-fungus, because it does its work 

 underground. Several cases of its attack have been reported in 

 England. It is known as Dematophora vastatrix, and, owing to 

 the 2'apidity with which its mycelium spreads in the ground, proves 

 veiy destructive. The same method of prevention as with Agaricus 

 melleus, namely trenching, is the most practicable, filling in with 

 a solution of potash salts of any kind, or sprinkling with paraffin oil. 



The most highly evolved of all the fungi are the puffballs or 

 Phalloidea3, the main agent for the dispersion of which is the wind. 

 Everyone is now familiar with colour and scent in connection with 

 the fertilization of plants. The one remarkable feature of this 

 group of fungi is the brilliancy of their colours. Of course this is 

 a strong feature in all groups of fungi, but the brilliant colours 

 in this particular group are always atti'active, while these fungi 



VOL. IX. PART I. 2 



