FUNGUS GROWTH ON TREES 109 



be destroyed, wood so affected is much sought 

 after by the makers of fancy furniture. Trees 

 growing in damp, shady positions are most 

 often attacked by the fungus, and we have 

 known timber of the oak, when left in a damp 

 part of the woodland, to assume this colour. 

 Owing to the scarcity and high price of green 

 oak timber, experiments have been undertaken 

 to produce the desirable green colour by artificial 

 means, but without success. The wood is un- 

 usually hard, and the beautiful graining of the 

 oak is shown off to great advantage in this 

 green timber. It is remarkably scarce, the 

 finest examples we have seen being grown in 

 Kent and on an estate in northern Ireland. 



Blueing in coniferous timbers is due to the 

 fungus Ceratostoma piliferum. It is common 

 in Scotch pine wood. 



Mosses and Lichens. In damp and shady 

 situations, and particularly when the trees are 

 not in vigorous growth, both coniferous and 

 hard-wooded species are often attacked by moss 

 or lichen, or both. Though the attacks are 

 rather an indication of unsuitable environment 

 than actual disease, yet, when mosses and lichens 



