NA TURE- S TUB Y A ND SCIENCE NO TES 1 2 5 



Fungi Which Discolor Wood. Many of the blue, brown, black, pink, 

 purple and yellow stains which appear on pine and other lumber in piles are 

 caused by fungi. The **i9o6 Report of the Missouri Botanical Garden" 

 contains an extensive paper by Dr. Hedgcock, who has recently investigated 

 the subject. Certain colors arc due to the insoluble colors of the filaments 

 (mycelium) of the fungi which penetrate the wood but do not actually stain 

 the wood cells. In other cases soluble pigments are taken up by the cell- 

 walls of the wood. Or both causes may be combined. 



Bag- Worm Killing Branches. In the above mentioned report Dr. 

 H. von Schrenk describes the killing of arbor-vitae and other twigs by the 

 constructing bands which suspend the bag-worm cocoons. Growth pressure 

 causes swelling followed by girdling similar to that produced by a tightly 

 wound wire. Commonly most of the cocoons drop from twigs about the 

 end of June because the growing twigs break the encircling bands which 

 suspend the cocoons. 



Seedless Oranges. According to an article in The World Today the seed- 

 less or naval oranges came from Brazil. Four shoots were sent to California 

 in 1872. Two lived and in 1877 produced 16 oranges. The new 

 orange tree could be propagated only by budding, and the first buds sold 

 at ^i each, and later at $5 a dozen. One box of naval oranges was 

 grown in 1880; since then the annual product has risen to ten million 

 boxes, and the two trees have multiplied to over four million. The original 

 parent tree last year bore two iDushels of choice fruit. In Southern California 

 alone ^100,000,000 is invested in citrus fruit culture, chiefly of oranges, 

 and in related industries. 



Economic Role of Lichens. These plants are the first to attack rocks and 

 they greatly aid in reducing rocks to soil. Lichens, such as the **reindeer 

 moss," are food for both man and animals in high northern regions where 

 other plant food is not available. Another species in northern Africa is blown 

 long distances by the wind and falling in the deserts where food is scare is 

 eaten by man and animals. It is supposed to have been the manna of the children 

 of Israel. Other species are important for both man and animals in Finland, 

 Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The nutritive qualities are due 

 to; a peculiar starch-like compound. Many species were formerly considered 

 medicinal. Many dyes, chiefly reds, purples and blues, are used for home 

 coloring of cloth, wood, etc. Litmus used for testing acids and alkalies in 

 r. chemical experiments is obtained from lichens, chiefly in Holland. Orseille 

 is another name for this dye. It is supposed to be the **blue and purple" 

 of the old Testament. \_Plant Worlds Nov. 1906.] 



