28 



threi' weeks of their appearance the hyiiKMiiuin was entirely destroyed, 

 and of course with it whatever spores had i"eniained. It is suggested 

 that the secretion of this sugar and the destruction of the h^^menium 

 by these beetles may have soiue meaning in connection with the dis- 

 persal of the spores. It is a point worthy of further observations by 

 local observers in future years. The rapid destruction of the hyme- 

 nium is very marked. It is exceedingly difficult to get perfect speci- 

 mens of the sporophores after the end of August. The upper surface, 

 which is usually moist, becomes covered with a fine layer of fallen 

 spruce needles, and before long a covering of mosses hides the brown 

 sporophore completeh'. It is no unusual occurrence to find these old 

 moss-covered sporophores several years after their formation, at the 

 base of some old Spruce. 



The basidia and spores have nothing about them which is very dis- 

 tinctive. Numerous peculiar hairs project from the hymenium, which 

 are surrounded with a film or drop of clear liquid in which numerous 

 spores are caught. When viewed by reflected light these glisten like 

 dewdrops within the pores. The latter are exceedingly irregular, so 

 irregular in fact that one can hardl}^ call them pores. They partake 

 more of the nature of pockets, which are divided by many much con- 

 voluted walls into various chambers. The pores extend almost to the 

 margin of the pileus and are usually about one-eighth of an inch (3""°^) 

 deep. 



EFFECT OF FUNGUS ON THE TREE. 



The fungus seems to spread through the ground, attacking the tree 

 first at its root system, and growing thence up into the trunk. Wher- 

 ever one tree is affected, others similarl}^ diseased will usuall}^ be found 

 close by. Infection may take place through the root on one side of a 

 tree. The heartwood of that root will be destroyed and then the wood 

 of the portion of the trunk nearest that root becomes affected. Many 

 trees were cut down where but one-half of the trunk had been rotted 

 by th(^ fungus, and oftentimes only a small spot was visible where the 

 fungus had just begun to grow. The tree continues to stand until 

 either the roots or the trunk become weakened to such an extent that 

 they can no longer hold the tree erect, and then the first wind storm 

 overturns it. Fig. 1 shows a large Fir, the root system of which was 

 almost entirely destrojed. In its fall the lower part of the trunk split, 

 revealing decayed wood to a distance of 12 feet (about 3f meters). The 

 tree was probably blown over in the spring of 1809, and in the follow- 

 ing fhd}' the sporophores formed on the trunk. A large tree thus dis- 

 eased is a constant source of danger to all others about it. Not only 

 may the disease be communicated to them, l)ut in its fall such a tree 

 breaks down many a small tree, not to speak of the large numbers of 

 very small second growth which it destroys. The sporophores form 



