A STUDY OF HEART-ROT IN WESTERN HEMLOCK. 3 



due to a poor physical quality of the wood, but usually arises from 

 the fact that great difficulty is experienced in determining the actual 

 extent of the advance decay from the more evident heart-rot when 

 the trees are bucked and scaled in the woods. Some of the logs go 

 to the mills to all appearances sound, but in reality with a part of 

 the log in the incipient stages of decay. Consequently, when the 

 log is sawed into boards they check or completely fall into a dry 

 crumbly decay when exposed to drymg conditions for any con- 

 siderable length of time. Such conditions cause a discrimination 

 against western hemlock by those who have witnessed this deteriora- 

 tion after sawing. A better understanding of the real causes under- 

 lying this result and a true conception of the usefulness of hemlock 

 wood will aid greatly in removing such objections as the trades now 

 hold against lumber sawed from this species of tree. 



ECHINODONTIUM TINCTORIUM. 



THE FUNGUS AND ITS HOSTS. 



With few exceptions, as will be shown, Echinodontium tinctorium 

 E. and E. (figs. 1 and 2) is the cause of practically all the heart-rot so 

 widely prevalent in hemlock throughout the Northwest. Being the 

 only hydnaceous fungus of its kind and the only member of its genus, 

 something of its history should be given. The fungus was hrst 

 described asFomes tinctorium by J. B. Ellis from the original speci- 

 mens collected in Alaska by J. G. Swan. The teeth were broken 

 from these specimens, and Ellis mistook the pits or scars for pores 

 and called it a Femes. ^ The fungus was next collected at Jansville, 

 Idaho, by C. V. Piper, who sent it to Lloyd. Lloyd pubhshed it as 

 Hydnum tinctorium.^ In a letter to the senior writer, Lloyd states 

 that Ellis suggested that the fungus might well be the type of a new 

 genus and should be called EcJiinodontium tinctorium. Lloyd used 

 this name in his article and it was the first time the name was 

 employed. In 1900, Hennings, of the University of Berlin, received 

 some small specimens from Japan. Ignorant of the work of Ellis 

 and Lloyd, he published the fungus as representing a new genus, 

 calling it Hydnofomes tsugicola.^ The name Echinodontium first 

 published by Lloyd has become so thoroughly established in forestry 

 circles that any attempt to depose priority and use any other names, 

 which in some respects are far more apphcable, for instance, Hydno- 

 fomes, would lead to some confusion in- the ranks of practical foresters; 

 hence the name given by Ellis and Lloyd will be used. 



1 Ellis, J. B. New fungi, mostly Uredinese and Ustilaginese from various localities, and a new Fomes 

 fTora Alaska. In Bui. Torrey Bot. Club, v. 22, no. 8, p. 362. 1895. 



2 Lloyd, C. G. Mycological notes, no. 1, p. 2-3. 1898. 



3 Hennings, Paul. Fungi japonic!, /w Bot. Jahib. [Engler], Bd. 28, Heft 2, p. 268. 1900. 



