FOREST FUNGI 85 



Indian Affairs, and private owners in preventing and suppressing in- 

 sect attacks and epidemics. This Division, in addition to the main 

 office in Washington, maintains branch offices or representatives at 

 Berkeley, California; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; New 

 Haven, Connecticut; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin; 

 Asheville, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; and 

 Melrose Highlands, Massachusetts. Several states employ forest en- 

 tomologists or some specialist in charge of pest control (insects and 

 fungi) , as in New York and Connecticut. 



Methods of control, as summarized by Hawley, are the protection 

 and increase of the natural enemies of the insects such as birds and 

 other insects; the removal from the stand or treatment of infested 

 trees; disposal of slash and other material in which the insects find 

 favorable conditions for breeding; and special silvicultural measures 

 to prevent the creation of conditions favorable to insect attack. The 

 use of creosote and other toxic chemicals to protect piling and other 

 structures from marine borers, as well as against termites, is strongly 

 recommended, and these materials are widely used. 



9. FOREST FUNGI 



Fungi are living organisms belonging to the plant kingdom. Unlike 

 the green plants, they are unable to make their own food and must 

 secure it at the expense of the green plants. In so doing, they cause 

 disease and deterioration of living plants and plant products. Fungi 

 are responsible for enormous losses of both living and dead wood as 

 well as of many forms of forest products. They attack and destroy 

 forest trees of all ages, from seedling stage to maturity. All parts 

 of a tree are subject to their attack. They cause leaf diseases, root 

 rots, fruit injury, and deterioration of the trunk. 



Since fungi are both parasitic and saprophytic in nature, they are 

 able to attack dead and living trees and many manufactured forms 

 of forest products. A few examples of the damage caused by fungi 

 are as follows: 



1. Lumber is frequently degraded and sold at much lower prices 

 than clear stock because of sap stain. Sap stains frequently occur 

 in freshly sawn timber of white and yellow pines, red gum, yellow 

 poplar, and other species. 



2. Chestnut bark disease was first discovered near New York City 

 in 1904. It has practically destroyed all native stands of American 

 chestnut. The fungus causes the death of the trees by destroying 

 the cambium and inner bark. Efforts are being made to develop im- 



