320 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. | 
The specimens now exhibited will illustrate my remarks, You 
will observe some of them are quite dead, while the others are of an 
unhealthy colour. The fungus had destroyed the cortical tissues, 
in the former case, right round the stem, while above and below 
this compressed part the cambium had been actively engaged, for 
at least one growing season, trying to heal over the wound, but 
had failed to do so, with the result that death ensued. In the 
case of the unhealthy plants, the fungus has only destroyed the 
cortical tissues on a part of the circumference of the stem, while a 
callus has been formed round the wounded part. This is one 
point of resemblance to the larch disease, and a further point is 
that the original point of attack seems to be at the junction of a 
branch with the main stem. 
One other specimen has the leaders destroyed, and I am 
inclined to believe that this is due to an entirely different fungus 
(Botrytis Douglas ?). In nurseries, when this happens, it is 
usually attributed to frost, but I question if it is nob oftener due 
to this fungus, as I have seen sheltered and unsheltered plants 
alike lose their leaders, I have seen the Douglas fir quite hardy 
700 feet above sea-level in the inland counties, while it loses its 
leading shoots readily 70 feet above sea-level near the seaboard, 
even in sheltered localities. The moist climate in the latter case 
favours the development of the fungus, while the drier air inland 
keeps it in check. 
We have planted a large number of Douglas fir each of the 
last three seasons, and fully 10 per cent. of them have been cleared 
out because of fungoid disease. If there is much of this in this 
country (and there may be more than we are aware of), something 
might now be done to stamp it out ; and even if it may be classed 
among the “interesting observations” just now, thirty years 
hence it may prove “a widespread calamity,” as Professor Gayer 
says of Hysterium pinastri in Germany, which began with an 
attack on two-year seedling Scots pine, and, after the above 
lapse of time, is attacking Scots pine of nearly all ages, 
[See the remarks of the Society’s Honorary Cryptogamist on 
this subject, pp. 191, 192 of this Volume. | 
