218 Practical Forestry 



trees being killed outright before the cause was detected. 

 It spreads quickly underground from tree to tree, and 

 unless eradicated, as it may easily be by uprooting affected 

 trees and carefully Destroying the mycelium, much damage 

 may result. 



The White-rot Fungus (Fomes igniarius) is usually 

 found on hard- wooded trees, and takes possession of wounds 

 that may have been occasioned by the accidental breaking 

 of a branch or stem injury. Oak trees suffer most from the 

 attacks of this fungus, which is often as large as a foot 

 across, and of a brownish colour. It is named igniarius on 

 account of the inner surface being used as tinder, when 

 prepared with saltpetre, especially in the old days of flint 

 and steel. By removing the fungus and attending to the 

 wound by cleaning away all dead and dying matter, and 

 coating with tar, much benefit will ensue. 



The Leaf-shedding Fungus or Pine-leaf Scurf (Lop- 

 hodermium pinastre) is a well-known and widely distributed 

 species, and is usually found on the Scotch and Austrian 

 Pines. The leaves, when attacked, wither suddenly and 

 fall off, the fungus being most prevalent after unusualty 

 dry weather, or in early spring succeeded by a frosty winter. 

 It occurs both as a saprophyte on dead pine leaves and 

 a parasite on the living foliage. We have been most suc- 

 cessful in combating the attacks and preventing the spread 

 of the pest by spraying the affected parts with " Bordeaux 

 mixture." Young trees under ten years of age are most 

 commonly attacked, and when this occurs in the nursery 

 borders, the plants should be rooted out and burned. On 

 several Scottish and English estates, thousands of Scotch 

 Pines have been killed out by the attacks of the leaf-shedding 

 fungus. 



One -of the commonest fungi on old stumps is Agaricus 

 melleus. It has no particular host, being found alike on 

 coniferous and hard-wooded trees, and on both root and 

 stem. Known as the honey fungus, and edible, this toad- 

 stool is about three inches in diameter, and of a yellowish- 

 brown or rusty colour. It spreads with great rapidity 

 both in the soil and between the bark and wood of the 



