Mellens Growing on, a Dead Tree 399 



west side of the tree and are placed almost in line one above 

 the other. With this preliminary we introduce the following 

 discussion between a Ramble-class and their leader. 



We have brought you here, Professor, in order to seek from 

 you further information as to this tree and the fungus which 

 is growing from it. As you see, it is an oak and it has not 

 long been dead. What we want to show you are some large 

 growths of a gilled fungus which have sprouted out from its 

 bole, some of them eight feet from the ground. We rather 

 expect that you will say that it is our old friend the common 

 Mellens; but is it not unusual to see melleus so high up and 

 growing from a stem with the bark still on ? 



Professor : You are right, that is mellens, for although it 

 has lost its colour by decay its characters may still he deter- 

 mined. I agree with you that it is very unusual to see it 

 growing so high up, and especially so on an oak. 



Thank you. Our next question is as to whether these sporo- 

 phores, for so we suppose we ought to call them, are grown 

 from mycelium (" spawn ") present in the wood, or are they 

 due to fresh spores locally implanted on the bark by the wind ? 

 We especially ask your attention to the fact that they appear 

 to sprout out from bark which is unbroken. 



Professor : Melleus has a great power of producing long 

 wire-like roots which spread great distances in the ground 

 and attack decaying wood wherever they find it. Once in the 

 wood they climb up in its substance and flower out on the 

 surface wherever it seems suitable. That doubtless is what 

 has occurred here. What I have called wire-like roots you 

 may call rhizomorphs. 



Do you suppose that the fungus gained access to the tree 

 whilst it was living and has been the cause of its death ? 



Professor : I should think it killed the tree. Melleus is a 

 very destructive fungus and may destroy a whole orchard. 



Do you feel quite sure that you are putting the case cor- 

 rectly ? May it not be the fact that the apple trees became 



