Current Literature. 603 



infected portions of the stem, and by the appearance on these 

 regions first of blister-like patches of bark, which soon crack, per- 

 mitting the escape of small drops of a sweet, sticky, colorless 

 fluid, and later of yellowish-white pustules, aecidial fructifications. 

 Diseased seedlings and young trees are usually killed by the 

 fungus. Once a seedling or tree is infected there is no known 

 way of eradicating the disease without destroying the host. The 

 five-leaved pines are peculiarly susceptible. 



In order to guard against the establishment of the disease in 

 America, it is recommended that importation of European stock 

 be stopped or permitted only by special license, that Ribes stock 

 be inspected, and, if suspected, planted at least 500 feet from the 

 nearest white pines, and finally that diseased plants, whether of 

 Ribes or Pinus, be rooted out and burned. It is of interest to 

 note that the Canadian government have already adopted pre- 

 cautionary regulations relative to imported European nursery 

 stock. The bulletin closes with a complete bibliography on the 

 subject. 



J. H. F. 



The Timber Rot Caused by Lenzites sepiaria. By Perley 

 Spaulding. Bulletin 214, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture. Washington, D. C. 191 1. Pp. 46. 



Lenzites sepiaria (Wulf.) Fr. is cosmopolitan, having been re- 

 ported from every continent in the world. In the United States 

 alone, it is estimated that about one-quarter of the structural 

 timber brought into use annually is attacked by this fungus. Its 

 attacks are all but restricted to coniferous woods, and of these 

 few, if any, are immune. Lenzites is a saprophyte; there is no 

 clear record of its occurrence at any time on living wood. The 

 disease is mainly disseminated by means of spores, which are pro- 

 duced in vast numbers by the fruiting bodies. These infect the 

 wood mainly through season cracks or checks. Interesting details 

 are given in the article relative to the development of the fruiting 

 body, germination of the spores, methods of culture of the fungus, 

 inoculations of sound timber, and the gross and microscopic ap- 

 pearance of the affected wood. There is also a review of the 

 factors favorable to the growth of wood-rotting fungi, with which 

 everyone having anything to do with the handling of timber 



