850 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



Felling' of second growth was in progress here also. The fungus 

 was present on dead stumps, though less abundantly than at Cliffen- 

 dale, but m no instance could it be found on living wood, even in 

 E. globulus, though diligent search was made among old and young 

 coppice shoots growing directly from heavily infected old stumps. 



Most of the wood felled at time of inspection was E. resinifera and 

 E. rostrata; all of good quality. Growing trees were healthy and 

 vigorous looking. 



Stumps of felled trees were sprayed with "winter spray," but 

 less than a year later, previously infected stumps were again produc- 

 ing fresh sporophores, proving that the spray is quite ineffective in 

 destroying the fungus inside the wood. 



Lions Glen. 



Lions Glen is situated about five miles from the Swaziland border, 

 north of Amsterdam, at an elevation of about 5600 feet, with an 

 average rainfall of 35 inches, and frequent mists. 



The plantation in which the fungus was here found is on a slight 

 slope with an east aspect. The soil is granitic and open. The stand 

 is composed of pure E. globulus, about 25 to 30 years old, and 

 ranging up to about 24 inches diameter breast high. A number of 

 these trees have at some time been killed by ring-barking, and the 

 dead wood is now badly infected with the fungus. From this source the 

 infection has spread, through the medium of sporophores, to the outer 

 bark of a large number of the living trees in the stand, which is now 

 covered with both fruiting bodies and the mycelium of the fungus in 

 large quantities. Specimens of both dead and living bark were 

 examined, and it was found that while the dead bark was heavily 

 infected with the fungus, showing not only the discoloration and dis- 

 organization of the tissues characteristic of the organism in question, 

 but tlie presence of its mycelium ramifying through the tissues, the 

 living bark on the contrary could not be definitely stated to be infected 

 owing to the absence of any mycelium. Owing to the fact, however, 

 that discoloration was starting in the living tissues adjacent to the 

 infected dead bark, and further that all discoloured cracks in the 

 living tissues contained an abundance of mycelium, it was thought 

 quite possible that the fungus might be encroaching into this part. 

 However, no prediction as to what part the fungus would play in the 

 future could be made as the virulence of the disease seems to be 

 directly dependent on the general health of the trees and on climatic 

 and soil conditions. Actual observation of the trees in question over 

 an extended period is therefore the only means of discovering this 

 point. 



Conclusions. 



The chief conclusion to be drawn from the above investigations is 

 that attack by Stereum hirsutum, on living tissues of eucalypts is 

 probably confined to the species E. globulus. 



So far the parasitic form of the fungus has only been discovered 

 in the Cliffendale plantations, though infection of dead wood has been 

 found in widely separated areas. It is not unlikely, however, that 

 attack on living wood may exist in other blue gum plantations, and a 

 thorough investigation of all such, especially those that have under- 

 gone felling operations at some time or other, should be made. 



