PESTS OF ORCHARD AND FRUIT GARDEN, 



33 



Orchard Agarics. 

 Armillaria mellea (Vahl). 



This very common Agaric grows in large clusters at the base of stumps 

 and old trees, and often in orchards where the mycelium extends to and 

 becomes parasitic on growing trees, causing great mischief. 



The fungus grows in dense clusters with a pale honey-coloured pileus 

 or cap, two to three inches across and a paler stem four to six inches long, 

 with a distinct collar or ring surrounding the stem above the middle and a 

 profusion of white spores, which fall and settle on surrounding objects as a 

 dense white powder. (Fig. 8.) 



Fig. 8. — Tree-root Rot (Armillaria mellea). 



The black strands of mycelium, thick as fine twine, and known as 

 " rhizomorphs," are well known, and generally belong to this'Agaric. 



Sacc. Syll. vi. 289 ; Mass. PI. Dis. p. 202, fig. 47 ; Cooke Hdbk. 

 No. 36, fig. 36 ; Cooke Illus. pi. 32. 



Pholiota squarrosa (Mull.). 



Dense tufts of this Agaric may often be seen at the base of trunks in 

 orchards, and is capable of doing great injury by the mycelium becoming 

 parasitic. The Agaric is similar in size and form to the above Armillaria, 

 but both cap and stem are yellowish brown, densely clad with projecting 

 brown scales, and the spores, and consequently the gills, are brown. The 

 smell is strong. 



Sacc. Syll. vi. 3093 ; Mass. PI. Dis. p. 208 ; Cooke Hdbk. No. 297 ; 

 Cooke Illus. pi. 367 ; Soic. Fung. t. 284. 



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