108 TKANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lxvi. 



decidedly Merulius lacrymans, spreadiiij^ to what are at 

 present perfectly fresh timbers, I do not think that it 

 has been established that such fresli timbers, if kept 

 dry by good ventilation, are (even without a coating of 

 paint) liable to attacks of this pest, at least by germina- 

 tion of fungus spores ; for a hypha to perforate an 

 adjoining piece of wood is another matter. Were spore 

 transference at all potent in sowing such fungi on timbers 

 which had been well seasoned, dry, and under the con- 

 ditions of even moderate ventilation, one can scarcely 

 see how such ravages should not be very much more 

 frequent and severe than they are. 



Of course, as a matter of sound practice in dealing 

 with such occurrences in costly buildings, it is, perhaps, 

 best to err on the safe side by the removal of much 

 contiguous timber which may have been suffered to 

 have come within the range of contamination, rather 

 than resort to the more doubtful procedure of attemptini: 

 to " cure " or arrest the progress of the fungus where 

 it may have been supposed to have just got a hold, as 

 in my experimental case. On the other hand, it is 

 scarcely to be thought wonderful, or very much beyond 

 the range of very ordinary possibilities, that the vitality 

 of so delicate an organism as the spore or hypha of a 

 fungus should readily succumb to quite a large number 

 of destructive agencies, so chosen that all the valued 

 qualities and characteristics of the infested wood, even 

 its ornamental ones, may remain practically unaltered. 

 The only difficulty — a very real one in most instances 

 where buildings are concerned, as compared with isolated 

 ]3oles, etc. — is of the nature of the one experienced in 

 endeavouring to catch a bird by " putting salt on its 

 tail." At the same time, it is well to know that there 

 are several very effective means of thoroughly destroying 

 dry-rot fungi other than by prompt commitment of the 

 whole affair to the flames. I only chose the copper 

 salt because it came readiest to hand. As we all know, 

 creosote has perhaps the greatest reputation in this 

 direction. If one who can lay no special claim to a 

 knowledge of this subject might venture to express an 

 opinion as to the means of prevention, I think it will 



