5i8 Forestry Quarterly. 



ordinary test tube plugged with cotton is placed in a vessel sealed 

 from the outer air the fungus at once grows up through the cot- 

 ton plug and out into the larger vessel, where it continues to grow 

 over any object within reach, and even attacks and decays air- 

 dry wood under such circumstances. If other tubes of different 

 fungi be present Coniophora will grow down through the plugs 

 of such tubes and contaminate the cultures and gradually replace 

 them. The essential feature is that the air in the larger vessel be 

 stagnant. 



Since other fungi, such as Merulius lachrymans, etc., do not be- 

 have in this manner, in doubtful cases this character is often as 

 good as microscopic distinctions. In the civil suits which fre- 

 quently arise in Europe over the decay of building timbers the 

 determination of the causal organism is of prime importance. As 

 Coniophora commonly remains sterile in buildings, it was formerly 

 often taken for Merulius lachrymans, and so reported. Only 

 within the past few years has it been properly identified with 

 serious decay in such structures, both on upper and lower floors. 

 At the present time it seems to be notoriously frequent. It only 

 requires a little moisture and stagnant air to produce a destructive 

 rot of conifers and certain hardwoods, avoiding oak. Whenever 

 a sufficient circulation of air is admitted around the decaying 

 timbers so that they dry out, the author affirms that the fungus 

 is killed in a short time. 



Kulturen einiger Holspilse, Merulius lachrymans Coniophora cerebella, 

 und Polyporus vaporarius. jahresbericht. Vereinigung angew. Botanik. 

 8: XIX-XX. 1910. 



Hausschzvatmnstudien. I. Zur Biologic von Coniophora cerebella A. 

 et S. Mycologisches Centralblatt. Feb. 1912. 2-10, figs. 1-4. 



SOIL, WATER AND CLIMATE. 



According to Dr. Schwarz, the first botanist 



Lime Soils to bring flora and soil into relation was Franz 



and Unger in the thirties of last century, who di- 



Vegetation vided plants into bodenvage (vague as to soil 



relations), bodenholde (having preferences 



for certain soils), and bodenstete (dependent on given soils). The 



latter class is rare; but there are plants which avoid lime (calco- 



fuge) soils, and those which prefer them (calcophil). The need 



for lime is, however, a very variable one even in these latter and 



