FUNGI OF IMPORTANCE IN THE DECAY OF TIMBERS. 35 
affected, practically 100 per cent germination resulting, while the 
chlamydospores did not germinate at all. 
LIGHT. 
The diffused light from an east window during the winter appar- 
ently had little effect on the germination of the secondary spores. 
The oidia of Lenzites sepiaria and L. trdbea germinated almost per- 
fectly in diffused light or in the dark, although the development was 
somewhat more rapid in the dark. The same is true of chlamydo- 
spores of Trametes serialis, except that the percentage was between 
50 and 60 rather than around 100. 
In the month of May, 10 hours of direct sunlight acting upon the 
secondary spores upon agar not only inhibited germination during 
that period but prevented subsequent germination altogether. Ex- 
periments upon the killing effect of direct sunlight upon these spores 
when resting could not be carried out, inasmuch as it was impos- 
sible to separate the effects of drying from the effects of sunlight, 
because, as will be shown, drying materially reduces the percentage 
of germination. 
DRYING. 
There have been a few reports of the resistance of secondary spores 
to drying. De Seynes (SO) found that the conidia of Fistulina 
hepatica germinated after four years. Brefeld (5, p. 153) said that 
the conidia of Fomes annosus retained their viability for one year 
and a few germinated after two years of drying. He also stated 
(5, p. 27) that the oidia of Phlehia merismoides resisted drying for 
a month and some germinated after six months. According to Falck 
(15, p. 146) the aerial oidia of Lenzites sepiaria are resistant to dry- 
ing. Oidia subjected to drying in the presence of calcium chlorid 
germinated after one year, and they were not killed after an exposure 
of several hours to 60° C. (p. 147). On the other hand, Lyman 
(31, p. 149) concluded that in general the retention of viability by 
oidia is of short duration. 
The writer's results with the oidia of Lenzites sepiaria and L. tra- 
bea agree with Lyman's conclusions. Agar cultures with an abun- 
dance of oidia and oidia on glass slides were dried for varying 
periods. After one day of drying the percentage of germination 
was much reduced, and usually to less than 1 per cent. In some 
cases, however, a very small percentage of oidia would germinate 
after a few months at room temperature, perhaps because of pro- 
tection of certain oidia by large masses of others. It was thought 
that if any resistance to drying should be manifested it would be 
on the natural substrate for the fungus, but the results were the 
same as on agar. 
