FRUIT TREES AND THEIR ENEMIES 173 



burnt. Where the disease has only attacked a 

 few branches, these may be pruned off and the 

 wound dressed with tar. 



White Root Rot (Rosellinia necatrix). This 

 destructive fungus, though usually attacking 

 fruit trees, is not entirely confined to such, 

 being found on several hard-wooded and oc- 

 casionally on coniferous trees. Both the crab 

 and gean or wild cherry suffer much from its 

 attacks when growing in hedge and plantation, 

 and equally so the apple and other fruit trees 

 under cultivation. As the attacks are entirely 

 confined to the roots and lower portion of the 

 stem, the presence of the fungus is not readily 

 recognised, though the premature withering of 

 the leaves for the first two years, and sudden 

 death of the tree during the third season, 

 usually point out that this most destructive of 

 all root pests has been at work. It is readily 

 recognised by the snow-white appearance of 

 the fungus on the roots, the mycelium of 

 which can sometimes be detected between the 

 bark and the wood on the basal portion of the 

 affected stem. Removing the earth from the 

 roots and dusting these with powdered sulphur 



