comstock] the bracket FUNGUS 237 



turies to come. Teachers miss a great opportunity for teaching 

 useful citizenship when they fail to interest their pupils in this great 

 plan of our government for forest conservation. 



Another phase of the subject which may be of real use in teaching 

 civic duty is the proper care of trees ; not merely of our own trees 

 but of all trees. 



In nature-study we make much of the importance of trees to the 

 birds and animals as well as to ourselves. The wild cherry tree 

 gives many birds their food; the shagbark by the pasture fence 

 gives food to the squirrels and chipmunks, and provides a welcome 

 shade for the cows and horses grazing there. In fact, the first 

 year's work concerning trees is to show the children their uses to 

 wild life as well as to the life of the domestic animals and ourselves. 

 The next step is to establish a desire that the tree shall remain, long 

 after our interest in it ceases. If we realize that the old elm by the 

 schoolhouse door may live to shelter and give swing-privileges to 

 our grandchildren and our great grandchildren, we shall certainly 

 love it all the more. 



One of the 'ever present enemies of all trees is the spore of the 

 bracket fungi. These spores seem to be sifted everywhere, but 

 their one chance to become established in a living tree is through a 

 wound in its bark. This wound is.sometimes made by the breaking 

 of a branch by the wind, but it is far oftener made by the hatchet or 

 axe in a careless hand. The child should become so filled with the 

 sense of danger to which a gaping wound exposes the tree that he 

 will at once wish to give it proper treatment as soon as he sees it, 

 no matter whether the tree is on his own land or not. It would be 

 well to establish among the children of the third and fourth grades 

 a club for giving first aid to wounded trees. While this organiza- 

 tion might not prove lasting, yet while it was active it would so 

 impress its members that they would ever after instinctively notice 

 injured trees and give them proper care. 



As an aid in making the pupils understand the nature of the 

 danger which comes from hacking trees, a study should be made of 

 the bracket fungi. These are more readily discovered as the 

 leaves fall and, therefore, offer excellent subjects for study in 

 November. There are many species of these fungi, three of which 

 are very common. The bracket, gray above and with creamy sur- 

 face below, {Polyporus applanatus), offers a tempting surface for 

 the amateur etcher. Another species, {P. lucidus) is a beautiful 



