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NER 
86 Forry-rirst ANNUAL REPORT ow THE 
Solenia villosa, fr. var. polyporvidea: 
At first granuliform, then cylindrical, often crowded and Poel oh a 
continuous pure white stratum, appearing like a resupinate Polyporus, 
the villosity scarcely visible to the naked eye, but perceptible with a 
lens. 
Decayed wood of hemlock. Adirondack mountains. “July. 
This differs from the typical form in its crowded mode of growth. 
Is it, therefore, a distinct species? 
; 
Clavaria stricta, Pers. var. fumida. 
The whole plant is of a dingy, smoky-brownish hue. Otherwise as 
in the typical form. Catskill mountains. September. 
In the fresh state the specimens appear very unlike the ordinary — 
form, but in the dried state they are scarcely to be distinguished. 
Geoglossum microsporum, C. & P. 
A rare species, not observed since its discovery in 1871, till it was 
again found this year in the Catskill mountains. . 
a . 
(B.) 
FUNGI DESTRUCTIVE TO WOOD. 
' Norz.— P. H. Dudley, C. E., has investigated the action of certain — 
fungi upon railroad ties and eae structures. At my request he — 
has communicated to me some of the results of his investigations. 
These results are of such great practical and economic importance, — 
that with his permission, I have added to this report a copy of his © 
communication. 
es Sah 
664 Pine Srreer, New York, December 5, 1887. ; 
Prof. Caartes H. Pec, State Botanist: 
My Dear Sir. — The well established fact that the decay of all ; 
timber, under ordinary usages, is due to the growth of many species — 
of fungi, gives to your long and patient work, in collecting, identify- 
ing and sake attention to different species, a value and bearing — 
of practical importance hardly expected a few years since. The / 
enormous annual consumption of timber by railroad companies, ship-_ : 
builders, architects, manufacturers and farmers, in conjunction with — 
the decreasing supply and increasing cost, gives value to any knowl- 
edge which will help check any unnecessary decay of timber. 
. The experience gained from the failures of many of the expensive ne 
efforts to preserve timber has shown that specific knowledge of the Ae 
Py 
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