Water Permeability of the Wood of Grand Fir (Abies grandis(Doug.) Lindl.) in Relation to Infestation by the Balsam Woolly Aphid,Adelges piceae(Ratz.)

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Abstract
The water permeability of sapwood and heartwood of Abies grandis (Doug.) Lindl. was found for normal trees and those infested by balsam woolly aphid Adelges Piceae (Ratz.). It was determined as the rate of flow of water through plugs of the wood of standard dimensions and under constant suction. The permeability of normal trees was less in the inner than the outer sapwood and this difference was correlated with a greater void space (gas-filled tracheids) in the inner sapwood. The permeability of the heartwood was less than 5 per cent that of the sapwood. Aphid infestation reduced the permeability of the outer sapwood to about the same level as normal heartwood. The infested wood had a high percentage of void space and again permeability was negatively correlated with void space. But for a given level of void space the infested wood had a much lower permeability than normal wood. This suggests that there was factor additional to the air in the tracheids, which contributed to the low permeability of infested wood. The possible nature of this factor is briefly discussed.

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