106 TUAKSACTIONS AND rUOCEEDlNGS OF TIIK [Skss. lxvi. 



Notes ox Eecent P^xpekiencks avith Dky-IiOT. 

 By Dr. James Hunter, F.H.S.E. 



(Read 12th December 1901.) 



It is not to be understood that the present brief paper 

 is given as an intended addition to the already voluminous 

 technical descriptions of the biological characters of either 

 the Jlerulius, the Tdeplwra, or any of the fungi already so 

 well known to be connected with the peculiar form of 

 decay in timber generally called dry-rot. Neither is it 

 my present purpose to recount, even in epitome, a selection 

 of the various " cures " for this pest, which have, at one 

 time or other, been suggested by either those who consider 

 themselves best qualified, as so-called " scientists," or as 

 so-called " practical men," connected with buildings, etc., 

 to deal with this matter. 



Till but recently, I must confess, my own interest in 

 this subject was merely academical, having simply made 

 myself acquainted with some of the fungi in question for 

 purely educational purposes. I may, however, mention 

 that for some months past my attention has been drawn 

 to hy no means trifling " outbreaks " — if one may call 

 them so — of dry-rot in my neighbourhood, some of which 

 have been the cause of very considerable loss, so that my 

 microscopical acquaintance with Merulius became renewed. 

 With this I should have, possibly, been contented, so far 

 as scientific interest went, but, as it turned out, circum- 

 stances so arranged themselves as to furnish me with the 

 rather iquestionable convenience of a home-study of this 

 interesting subject. Fortunately the occurrence of" the 

 destructive agency in question was confined to a piece of 

 timber of a structure standing in my garden at a considerable 

 distance from the house I occupy. Perhaps it might be 

 said that — instead of retaining that single beam in its place 

 (though the process of decay was ostensibly limited to but 

 a very small portion of it) and attempting, as I did, any 

 means to destroy the vitality of the attacking fungus b}' 

 way of e.xperiment or otherwise — my best plan would have 

 been to remove at once the faulty piece of wood entirely. 



