ENEMIES OF CONIFEROUS TREES 267 



Fungi 



Red-rot Fungus (Fomes annosus or Trametes 

 radiciperda) attacks the roots of several species of 

 pine, particularly the Scotch, Corsican, and Wey- 

 mouth, as also the Spruce and Silver Fir. It is 

 probably the most destructive of the family, 

 attacking living roots and spreading rapidly from 

 tree to tree. The trees, when affected, quickly 

 turn sickly and die, the wood becoming spongy 

 and of a brownish colour, with distinct black spots. 

 The only remedy is to take out affected trees, and 

 burn them root and branch, replanting the ground 

 with beech or elm. Though one of the most 

 destructive fungi in coniferous woodlands, yet 

 its attacks are by no means confined to such ; it 

 is also found on the roots of several hard-wooded 

 species, such as the filbert, hazel, birch, and beech. 

 Quite recently a nut plantation in Kent suffered 

 severely from the attacks of this fungus, whole 

 lines of trees being killed out before the cause 

 was detected. It spreads quickly underground 

 from tree to tree, and unless eradicated, which is 

 easily done by uprooting affected trees and care- 

 fully destroying the mycelium, much damage may 

 be the result. 



Larch Canker or Blister Fungus {Dasyscypha 

 calycina or Peziza Willkommii) has proved by far 

 the most destructive of any in our woodlands ; in 

 fact, the amount of damage done by this wound 

 parasite may be considered as little short of a 

 national calamity. Whole plantations in every 

 part of the country, Ireland now included, have 

 suffered severely from its attacks, and in many 



