304 ROTS. 



of the right species, such timber would answer 

 the purpose of the mushroom-grower far better 

 than that of the builder or the ship-carpenter; 

 for the timbers go into their places loaded with 

 mushroom spawn, and, in fact, progress to the 

 state in which that generates ; and so, in as far 

 as oak is concerned in their structure, we have 

 mushroom houses and mushroom ships. 



What is the cause? Why should it be that 

 when navigation is every day increasing in extent 

 and value, the grand engine of navigation should 

 be deteriorating every day?. "The dry rot," is 

 the answer. Well, be it so: what is the dry rot? 



DRY ROT. (Xylostroma Giganteum. J 



" Xylostroma giganteum, which grows in the 

 timber, like a thick broad patch of dull yellow 

 leather, or serpula distruens in other instances, 

 which is smaller, redder in the colour, and whit- 

 ish at the edge ; but that last is as often found 

 upon other timber as upon oak." Well, that is 

 not a point worthy of much dispute ; the timber 

 is destroyed, and generally speaking these are 

 fungi ; but it is just about as sensible to call those 

 fungi " dry rot," as it would be to call flowing 



