TIMBER STORAGE IN THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN STATES. 33 



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ceeded in rotting the planks at practically the same rate at which 

 they wore down mechanically. 



Of the true gill fungi may be mentioned two species — Schizophyl- 

 lum commune Fr. (PL YIII, fig. 2) and Lentinus lepideus Fr. (PI. 

 VII, fig. 4, and PL VIII, fig. 1). The former occurs everywhere in 

 the United States on both coniferous and hardwood timber. It is 

 white to grayish, very thin and flexible, woolly above, and has very 

 distinct gills below, which are split longitudinally at the edge and 

 each half curled over, much as a dandelion stem curls when split. 

 It is a comparatively 

 small fungus, usually 

 not projecting out 

 more than 1 or 1^ 

 inches. At times it is 

 attached at the center 

 of the back and then 

 presents a circular out- 

 line with the gills ra- 

 diating from a common 

 center. When dry it is 

 much curled and in- 

 rolled, but during 

 rainy weather it readily 

 revives and appears 

 fresh and expanded 

 again. Fortunately, it 

 deteriorates wood but 

 slightly and need occa- 

 sion no fear among 

 lumber users. 



Lentinus lepideus Fr. 

 is a fungus of the 

 "toadstool" type, with 

 a circular, broadly 

 convex, scaly cap, and a 

 stout, fibrous, central or eccentric stem. It is white throughout, 

 except for the brownish scales on the upper side of the caps and on 

 the stem. The under side is provided with coarse gills, which become 

 considerably toothed and split as the plant ages. 



This fungus is a very rapid grower and primarily attacks timber 

 in contact with the soil. It rots pine railway ties very rapidly, 

 growing thro.ugh sandy soil from one stick to another. Serious out- 

 breaks of the fungus in pine warehouse floors have been reported 

 several times, and it should be carefully guarded against in lumber 

 storage yards. 



Fig. 34.— Built-up pine foundations in a retail yard in 

 Tennessee. Many of the foundation timbers are seri- 

 ously decayed and infection may pass to timbers piled 

 in contact with them. Figure 17 shows what hap- 

 pened to a structural timber placed on a foundation 

 in this yard similar to these. 



