Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-06-22

porn in the countless compartments
INTO which the nuder surfaces of the
lrultlng bodies are sometimes al
Vided, are produced in infinite num-
oer, and are so fine that thev can
De distinguished only by the mi
closcope. When seen in bulk they
appear as the finest dust. Like dust
they are carried by the wind ana
strike all portions of the surround
ing objects. Few species OF funei
successfully attack healthy living
lee,, ana only comparatively
small number can attack and de-
stroy wood. Yet the spores OF some
ma lodging in dead portions of a
tree In cut timber, and, IL the wood
Is moist and In the right condition
Tor the spore TO grow, It terminates
and sends out thin, filmlike struc-
ture OF the wood. These are the real
agents Of decay.
This Is not the only way that a
Fungus can enter a sound stick of
timber; for II a good stick Is lying
close to a rottlng one, the mycelium
may grow over or through the moist
ground and so reach the sound
stick. which II Immediately attacks.
sometimes, too, when a tree is cut
1t already has a fungus growing In
Its wood. II the fungus happens to
be true parasite-that Is, IL II can
grow only In living tissues-it will
die when the tree Is felled; but II
1t has been accustomed to growing
In the heartwood OF the tree, when
Is practically dead, II may continue
to live and develop even after the
tree has been sawed into timber.
Wood Is composed of minute cells
The chief material OF the cell walls
Is substance called cellulose, and
around this there are incrusted
many different organic substances
known collectively as. lignin. Most
of the wood-destroying fungi at.
tack only the lignln; others attack
the cellrilose alone. while a third
class destroy all parts of the wood
structure. The lignin and the cell.
ulous are dissolved by certain sub.
stances secreted in the fungi, and
thus serve as food for the fungus
growth. In this way the fungi car
develop until they extend through
out every portion OF the timber. Az
ter a time the amount of fiber
changed into food and assimilateJ
by the fungus causes the wood to be-
come discolored. Discoloration may
also be produced bv pigments In the
fungus or secreted by Il. Finally
so much OF the wood fiber Is eater
away or changed In composition tha'
its strength Is greatly diminished
the texture becomes brittle and dis
connected. and the wood is said L
be rotten"
But food Is not the only thinl
that fungus requires for IL
growth and development. II mus
also have heat, air, and moisture
II any one OF these Is lacking th'
fungus can not develop. The ne
cessary heat Is supplied by almoa
every climate, and Il Is only In rar
cases, as under water or deep unde
the surface OF the gronnd, that al
can be excluded from the timber
OF the four requirements, therefore
two are beyond control. II Is onl'
by deprlvlng the fungi OF food .
moisture that the destruction the
cause can be prevented.
How. Decay Can BE Retarded.
The simplest way OF prolongini
the life OF timber exposed to IN
attack OF wood-destroying fungi
10 reduce the moisture content o
the wood. The amount OF water Il
green timber varies according 10 IN
part of the tree from which tn
wood Is cut. The outer layers o
the trunk are composed OF sapwoo'
the cells OF which contain larg
amounts OF organic substance
which serve excellently as food 10
I the fungi. Moreover, sapwood al
ways contains large amount o