NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 



691 



general appearance, save in colour. The blue wood is said to be much 

 tougher than the green wood. Tests of strength showed beyond doubt 

 that the blue wood was as strong as the green wood. 



The blue colour of the wood is due to the growth of a fungus in the 

 cells. After describing the various woods known to be stained green or 

 blue by parasitic fungi, the author accepts Ceratostomella pilifera (Fr.), 

 known in Europe as giving a blue colour to Pine wood, as the cause in 

 the present instance. This fungus is then described in detail, and it is 

 claimed that the infection of the wood is caused by the entrance of the 

 spores at the beetle -holes already alluded to. After the wood has been 

 dead for some time certain changes begin, which in the end result in the 

 entire decay of the wood. 



The "red-rot" of the Western Yellow Pine usually starts in the tops 

 of the trees. The rot starts at the bark and gradually extends inwards. 

 When the decay has gone on for some time, bands and sheets of white 

 felty substance are found filling certain cracks which result from shrinkage. 

 These sheets consist of masses of fungus threads densely interwoven. 

 The entire wood mass becomes changed to a brown brittle mass, and 

 the completely rotten wood crumbles into a fine powder when crushed 

 between the fingers. 



The "red-rot " is caused by one of the higher fungi, which grows in 

 the wood, and brings about its decay. When the wood has been com- 

 pletely destroyed, the fruiting organs of the red-rot fungus begin to form. 

 Some of the hyphae grow through the bark, and form a flesh-coloured 

 knob, which increases rapidly in size and turns reddish in colour. This 

 knob widens horizontally, and on the lower surface numerous pores 

 appear. After a year a mature fruiting body is developed, which becomes 

 technically a member of the group of Polyporei of the genus Fomes, and, 

 as it presents differences considered sufficiently characteristic, has been 

 named Fomes ponder osus (Schrenk). 



Finally it is recommended that the dead timber should be removed at 

 once, and that the wood which should be removed is the dead and beetle- 

 infested timber. — M. C. C. 



Pith Moth, The {Gard. Mag. No. 2596, p. 509; 1/8/03).— This 

 destructive insect (Laverna atra) is described and illustrated. As larva? 

 it injures and kills the terminal shoots of young fruit trees, and is there- 

 fore particularly harmful in nurseries. The life-history is given, its 

 various stages of development being described and illustrated. As a pre- 

 ventive measure it is said that hand-picking the dead shoots before the 

 moths emerge in June is the most effective. — W. G. 



Plane Trees. By L. Henry (Le Jard. July 20, 1903, p. 212).— A 

 history of the cultivation of the Oriental and the Occidental Plane, with 

 illustrations showing their differences. — C. W. D. 



Plant Breeding 1 : Recent Work in New Jersey (U.S.A. Exp. 

 Stn. New Jersey, Bep. 1903, pp. 377-398).— Dr. Halstead reports the 

 continuation of his experiments in plant breeding during 1902 (see Journ. 

 K.H.S. xxvii. p. 1157). The work of fixing varieties of Beans, Cucumbers, 



