673 



CHAPTER IL 



RED ROT.* 



1. Description. 



Red rot is a decomposition of wood, by which its elemen- 

 tary organs are gradually detached from one another, and it 

 becomes eventually converted into a loose-textured mass, at 



Fig. 294. — Section of a spruce suffering from red rot, 



a Sound wood, b Discoloured wood where decay has commenced. 



c Eotten wood. 



first reddish-brown and passing through a dark brown con- 

 dition into a peaty substance resembling humus. Fre- 

 quently whitish mycelia may be noticed traversing the \YOod 

 longitudinally. 



Eed rot (Fig. 294) occurs, according to its position, as root, 

 stump, stem, or branch-rot. A transverse section through the 

 rotting wood shows a great variety in the phenomena and 

 course of this disease, often in the same tree. Either certain 



* Willkomm, Dr, Moritz, '' Die Mikrospischen Feinde des Waldes," Dresden, 

 1866, pp. 31 and 21'J. Hartig, Dr. R., " Die Rotfaule der Fichte," " Monatschrift 

 fr. das Forstund Jagdwesen," 1877, p. 97, an excellent and comprehensive work. 



F.P. X X 



