16 The Decay of Ties in Storage 



mens may become black on the surface, but when broken open these 

 usually show pinkish. The perennial forms may be hoof-shaped and 

 consist of several annual layers of growth, but this type of fruit-bodies 

 is much less common than the one illustrated. The pores are small 

 but are visible to the unaided eye. This fungus is for the most part 

 met with in the northern and western United States, where it rots 

 coniferous ties of various species. 



Hydnum Erinaceum 

 (Plate VII, Fig. 3) 

 This is a beautiful, white, fleshy fungus which has distinct teeth 

 more or less cylindrical in section and tapering to an acute point. 

 These teeth are long and conspicuous and bear the spores on their 

 surfaces. The fungus is succulent and fleshy and more or less globose. 

 It turns yellowish and shrinks markedly in drying. It was found a 

 number of times on red oak and beech ties, always growing from the 

 decayed heart at the ends. These ties were cut from trees already 

 heart rotted in the forest, hence the rot is not of particular importance 

 in the storage yards. 



Stereum Fasciatum 

 (Plate III, Fig. 3; Plate IV, Fig. 4) 



The fruiting-bodies of this species are thin, shelving, arranged one 

 above the other, and may project out up to V/z inches. The upper 

 surface is clay colored and somewhat velvety in young specimens, 

 becoming grayish to slate colored as the fungus matures. The under 

 surface is light brown (avellaneous) and smooth, i. c, without pores, 

 gills or teeth. 



The fungus is widespread in the United States, but most abundant 

 east of the Rockies. In the Gulf and South Atlantic States it is largely 

 replaced by a similar appearing fungus, Stereum lobatum. It is partial 

 to white and red oaks, but is known also to attack many other hard- 

 woods. In the white oaks it mainly rots the sapwood, but with the 

 red oaks and other of the less durable woods the heart is also decayed. 



Stereum Rameale 

 (Plate I, Fig. 1; Plate V, Figs. 3 and 4) 

 This is one of the thin, tough, flexible species which produces a 

 large number of small, shelving, confluent fruit-bodies, smooth on the 

 under surface, and arranged one above the other in clusters. These 

 fruit-bodies rarely project out from the surface more than half an 

 inch, usually less on stored ties. They are a beautiful yellowish- 

 orange on the under surface, especially when wet, and somewhat paler 

 on the upper surface, which is distinctly hairy. The fungus attacks 

 many different hardwoods, such as red gum, red oak, etc., and is very 

 common throughout the United States. 



