REPORT OF THE BOTANIST. 75 
much from the value of many edible fungi, but I have never 
found them in this species. Itis about the same size as the 
common edible mushroom, A. campestris, and not very dis- 
similar to it in general appearance, but the lamelle, as well 
as the rest of the plant, are white, and ‘never have the bright 
pink color seen in the common mushroom. Its taste, when 
cooked, is similar to that of Cuprinus comatus, but its flesh 
is less tender. It combines beauty and utility in an unusual 
degree, it being very even and symmetrical in form. 
My attention having been directed to the fact that, in some 
parts of the Great Northern Wilderness, the spruce trees 
were rapidly dying, to the great pecuniary loss of the lumber- 
men and land owners, I visited the counties of Hamilton and 
Essex, partly with the purpose of making some investiga- 
tions into the nature and cause of the malady. It is said that 
in some tracts of considerable extent, nearly all the spruce 
trees are killed, giving to the forest a desolate look and a pre- 
vailing brown hue, much as if a fire had run through the 
woods. I failed to find any of the affected districts, and it is 
perhaps hardly worth while to speculate concerning the cause 
of the evil. It may not be out of place, however, to mention 
three supposable or possible causes, by way of suggesting 
directions in which those having the opportunity of investi- 
gation may look. The three are insects, fungi and drought. 
It is recorded that considerable tracts of pine forest are some- 
times killed by the attacks of multitudes of small coleopter- 
ous insects, and it is at least supposable that spruce trees may 
have a similar foe. Young spruce trees were observed in the 
town of Keene, which, at a distance, appeared to have their 
branches terminated by an abundant crop of cones, but, upon 
a closer observation, the apparent cones proved to be only 
the dead and discolored tips of the branches. Jn most cases 
every leaf upon the affected parts of the branches was dead, 
and had a gall-like enlargement at its base, evidently the 
work of some insect. Attacks of this kind, if sufficiently 
numerous and persistent, would kill the tree. 
Fungi sometimes cause the death of trees, but cases of this 
kind are comparatively rare, and it is not very likely that the 
destruction of the spruces will be found due to such a cause. 
An interesting instance of a fungoid malady among them will, 
however, be noticed presently. 
