FUNGOID PESTS 



are borne at the apices of stout erect spore-bearers called basidia, there being 

 usually four basidiospores to each of the basidia. Diseased leaves should be 

 burnt as soon as seen, in order to prevent the production of spores. 



Savin Jelly-rust, Gymnosporanginm Sabince, causes gouty swellings in the 

 branches of the Savin (Juniperits Sabina). These swellings burst through as 

 an orange-coloured gelatinous mass consisting of teleutospores. These are 

 two-celled, and each cell may give rise to a thread-like promycelium which 

 divides at the extremity into three or four cells, each producing a secondary 

 spore. Some mycologists consider this disease to be a stage in the life of 

 the Pear Cluster-cups, and strongly deprecate the growing of Savin bushes 

 in the neighbourhood of Pear trees. 



IV. FUNGOID PESTS OF FOREST TREES. 



Ash-leaf Spot, Septoria Fraocini, affects almost every leaf if once it attacks 

 a tree. It takes the form of irregular discoloured patches, sometimes covering 

 the entire leaflet. The minute conceptacles are immersed in the substance 

 of the leaf, and contain numerous cylindrical sporules. 



The Beech-tuft, A r miliaria mucida, is a handsome Toadstool which is often 

 seen growing in clusters on the trunks and branches of old Beech trees. It 

 is greyish-white in colour, with a slender stem 3-5 ins. long, and a hemi- 

 spherical, flattened cap, 1-4 ins. in diameter. It is of a slimy character, but 

 delicious when properly cooked. It is said to be a wound parasite, capable 

 of attacking a healthy branch, causing death and decay. All wounds and cut 

 branches should be protected with a coating of tar. The Agarics should be 

 eaten or destroyed. 



Birch-leaf Rust, Melamspora betulina, is common from May to November. 



The pustules are of two kinds. Those which contain uredospores are pale 



orange, the spores being orange-yellow, and ovate. The teleutospores are 



pale yellow-brown, cylindrical, slightly wedge-shaped, and closely packed side 



by side, the pustules changing from yellow to brown, and finally becoming 



black. 



lxxi 



